


Just Another High School Romance

by Reda



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Hormones, Martial Arts, Mildly Dubious Consent, Romance, Slice of Life, Teenagers, Tournaments, and just, because drunk or high or some mix of the two, don't even, that stuff, there's so much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2018-05-28 15:47:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 97,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6334876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reda/pseuds/Reda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Goku only met her because she was willing to help him study. Although his grades won't be up in time for the school's martial arts tournament, he still manages to ask her if she'll go with him to watch the matches. Chi-Chi agrees. Little does he know, she's a participant this year. A secret she intends to keep, even as their relationship grows with each passing day. [GoChi] [High School AU]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1: I Thought Of You

**Author's Note:**

> For Elsakey for sparking this little wonder, simply by loving AUs and posting about finals week one year.
> 
> Attention New Readers: FIRST OFF - Thank you so much for choosing to check out my story! ^_^ I have a few things I want to warn you about before you dive in too deep. I wrote this originally as a one-shot and it sort of grew, so I'll admit that the plotline can be a little shaky at times. On a personal re-read, I noticed that the writing improved noticeably by part 9. Whether this was because of a natural growth or because I finally knew what I was doing and decided to take it more seriously, I'm not sure. Everything up until part 7 is pretty much cute fluff. I feel like the "dub-con" section in part 7 has turned people off, but I really tried my best to write it as the "mistake of a drunken night" that it was - I guess it just didn't come through right for some. I was still writing mostly by discovery at that point and the drama I expected from that moment didn't exactly happen the way I planned, but you'd just have to read and find out to see what I mean, I guess. 
> 
> This fic is a little deeper than most, I think, and from what I've been told, it doesn't follow any of the same tropes prevalent in Dragon Ball High School AUs, though the beginning may trick you into believing it will (as does the title. "Just Another High School Romance" after all). I'm surprised more people haven't taken a karate-kid angle for a Dragon Ball high school fic, but I suppose Dragon Ball Evolution scared us away from that idea. 
> 
> What to expect when reading: a lot of fluff followed by ups and downs as the characters deal with real life situations. I want to tell you if they persevere and come out stronger, but hinting either way would be a spoiler. This is strictly romance/drama and there is quite a bit of drama, mostly external surprisingly. This is written from the point of view of both Goku and Chi-Chi as we watch their relationship grow. It's not really a slow burn typical romance-by-the-beats story, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless. I hope you laugh. I hope you cry a little. And I hope you cheer for these characters as they fight alongside each other.
> 
> Once again - thank you for checking me out at all. I hope you enjoy your stay.

 

 

~!~

 

Goku stared at the test paper in front of him. Blank. Everything was still blank. Time was running out and the most he'd managed was picking up his pencil and staring at the mess of numbers and stuff. It wasn't so much that he had test anxiety, just that he had no idea how to answer the first question and he couldn't seem to look beyond it.

His friends would probably laugh at him again when he announced how he hadn't managed to answer a single thing on the exam. Bulma and Yamcha did all right on their tests usually, but they never helped him out. Vegeta excelled in some subjects and didn't seem to care about the others. Krillin tried to be supportive and helpful but all of his time went to his own private studying.

Goku sighed, clicking his pencil against the desk as he stared harder at the test question. For some reason, he just couldn't think straight. The numbers blurred together the longer he stared until he couldn't even decipher the problem itself.

Grandpa Gohan was going to be so disappointed. Again. He'd probably ask why Goku hadn't gotten one of the nice young ladies to help tutor him. Except he had. Chi-Chi had been real nice and helpful and had even stayed over at his house a few times for dinner and stargazing and studying, of course.

Goku closed his eyes and hummed at the nice memories. Of Chi-Chi brushing against his arm while she pointed out a particular problem he was having. The smell of her sweet, flowery scented hair as she leaned over him. Of her angry tirades the moment she caught him day dreaming…

With a start, he blinked out of the memory and shook his head. Cleared his head of the thoughts of Chi-Chi. Tried to anyway. It was so easy to picture her and the math book between them on the table as they worked through a…

Wait.

Clearing his head for real this time, Goku glanced back to his test and grinned. The problem he'd worked with Chi-Chi in that memory was the same thing. He could almost hear her voice guiding him through the proper steps as he answered the first question. And the next. And the next. And the next…

By the time the bell rang, Goku had finished his test just in time and proudly handed it over to his professor. With a wide grin on his face, he left the room and found the reason for his success waiting against the wall near the classroom door, holding a textbook in one arm.

“Goku,” she said when he walked over. “How'd it go?”

“Great!” He grinned. “I thought of you and everything else came with it!”

She blinked up at him, her cheeks tinged with pink. “You thought of me?”

“Yeah,” he said with nod, grabbing her free hand in both of his. “Thanks, Chi-Chi. You were really helpful.”

Her eyes caught his, wide and clearly stunned. She looked at him like that a lot. He wasn't sure why. After all, Bulma never stared back at him in silence while her face got all pink in the cheeks. He didn't understand why Chi-Chi gave him the weird look, but he knew he kind of liked it. Just like how he loved seeing her smile, too.

Smile and whisper, “oh,” as if she had run out of words to use.

He grinned. “Hey, wanna eat lunch with me, Chi-Chi?”

She stared up at him, eyes still big and bright as she repeated his words back to him. “Eat lunch with you?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, and then without waiting for her answer, he tugged her down the hall with him. “Come on. We have to hurry before all the good stuff gets taken.”

“R-right,” she stuttered as she followed him along, not even tripped at the pace he set.

Chi-Chi was one of the few girls – or the only girl he knew really – who could keep up with his faster pace. And she did it without complaint, too, letting herself get pulled along. When they finally reached the cafeteria, he got in line and turned to see her smiling at him. He smiled back.

Until she nudged him with her elbow. “Goku, are you going to keep holding my hand like that?”

“Huh?” He blinked, realized he _was_ still holding her hand, and quickly dropped his touch since she seemed bothered by it. “Sorry. I guess it just felt so natural.”

“Really?” She asked and when he looked to her, he found that her eyes were doing that thing again. “Well, you can keep holding it, if you want to.”

“Uhm. Okay.”

And for some reason, when he grabbed her hand this time there was a new feeling in his chest and a warmth on his face. And when she giggled and leaned against him, those new sensations got worse. He gulped and considered dropping her hand again, but decided against it. New or not, he liked it.

Looking down at her with her bright eyes and nice smelling hair and oh the way her uniform fit her body so nicely – something he'd never noticed before on any girl ever – he decided he wanted to hold her hand more often. And maybe more than that, too. Because he definitely liked _her_. He liked her a lot.


	2. Part 2: I Adored You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi sits with Goku at lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick information about the culture of this world: For one, it's a modern setting. No one has special powers. Everyone is human. For another, it's a made up world, but it's got shades of Japan and America (because it's a mix of where I live and all the high school anime I watch, hah). You'll notice that characters will refer to "traditional" stuff - this is a reference to traditional Japanese styles / foods / etc that I hope I represent well enough for this... made up world. The more "modern" stuff seems to be American stuff, hence why you might see these characters eat a hamburger, for example. Think of how the Japan of today has American influence. Sort of. Eh heh. That's about the closest way I can describe it. I felt like a note was important because some people can get bent out of shape if I reference one culture and then don't stick to that culture throughout the whole fic for the sake of consistency and I'm here to say, it's my own mix-matched world essentially with rough references (some on accident, some with research behind it).

 

 

 

~!~

 

His table manners were atrocious. She sat next to him at the table and tried to focus on her own meal, which proved to be rather difficult as Goku tore into his. How many rolls could he actually stuff in his face at once? Now she saw why he'd bought so much. He wasn't planning to save it for later; no, he was going to eat it all now. How did he keep his muscular build with such eating habits? He must spend a lot of time working out after school.

She didn't realize she was staring until another voice broke through the noise. “Guess this is your first time seeing him eat, huh?”

With a startled blink, she turned to face a short bald headed boy who sat across the red picnic table from them. He looked familiar, but she couldn't seem to recall his name. So she frowned in awkward silence as she watched him settle on the bench and pull out a cap. When he put the hat on, her eyes widened at the name she could read on the rim, remembering and feeling bad for forgetting.

Before she could comment, his hand shot across the table as he grinned. “Krillin, by the way. I'm guessing you're the girl who was helping him study.”

She nodded and shook his hand politely. “Yeah. My name's Chi-Chi.”

“So,” Krillin settled back to poke at his own food. “Did it work?”

This time, Goku was the one to speak before she could comment. “Ah ans'red all o' 'em.”

Chi-Chi felt her face blush for some reason. As if Goku's bad table manners were a direct reflection on her. Which didn't make sense. She had nothing to do with the way he ate. She'd only been around to tutor him. Though she hoped she'd get to stay around longer, whether or not he still needed help after today.

“Uh, Goku, buddy,” Krillin said into the awkward silence. “Has anyone ever told you not to talk with your mouth full?”

“Hm?” Goku hummed and then took a moment to swallow his food. “Oh, sorry. I was saying I answered all the questions.”

“Well, that's a good start, I guess,” Krillin said. “How do you think you did on them?”

Goku shrugged. “I think I answered right.”

Krillin sighed. “Guess we won't know for sure until you get the test back.”

While the boys discussed Goku's test, Chi-Chi tried to turn her focus to her own food. Bringing a stuffed bread roll up to her mouth, she took a bite and tried to keep her eyes from wandering as they had been wont to do this whole time. Tried. And was unsuccessful.

Sitting so close to Goku, she couldn't help but feel his warmth. He seemed to radiate at a higher temperature than anyone else she knew, and when the chill breezes whispered around her skirt, she couldn't help but slide a little closer to him. When their legs touched, he stopped his words to his friend and glanced down at her. Chi-Chi made sure to dig into her lunch and keep her head down, even though she could feel his eyes no doubt staring at her red face.

Thankfully, he didn't say anything and he didn't move away, either, for which she was doubly grateful. When Goku's attention went back to Krillin, she lifted her gaze to him once more. His thick muscular arms barely seemed to fit in the school issued white button down shirt and black uniform jacket, which probably explained why he kept the jacket off whenever he could get away with it – and why the first few buttons of his shirt were never fastened. Chi-Chi felt her face flush again when she realized she was staring.

Quickly, she lifted her gaze away from the skin of his exposed chest. His eyes. Focus on his eyes. Dark and warm and inviting and always so happy no matter the situation. Or confused, she amended. He did tend to look lost a lot when she was explaining certain mathematical concepts. Or the sleepy boredom he expressed when she tried lecturing him about historical events or grammatical corrections in the foreign languages they had to take. Or even the new look he had given her earlier when he'd been caught holding her hand. That one was happy, but it was different, too…

Her breath caught in her throat when Goku turned that very look on her, the one where his eyes seemed to be expressing so much at once that they just - “How about it, Chi-Chi? You wanna come, too?”

She blinked several times, as she fell back into the real world and then realized she'd missed an important part of the conversation. “Oh, uhm, come to what?”

“The tournament!” Goku's face lifted into a big smile and she knew his exclamation was from excitement and not because he was in any way upset at her for not paying attention. “Krillin's fighting in it, and Yamcha is, too. Do you know Yamcha? He's usually hanging around Bulma and Vegeta, but – oh, I wonder if Vegeta is gonna enter this time. I hope not. I've been wanting to fight him for a while, but I can't enter right now.”

Chi-Chi blinked as she tried to follow all his ramblings. “You...can't enter until your grades go up, right?”

“Right,” Goku said, his eyes dropping into a sadness that she could only describe as the look of a puppy sitting outside watching through a glass door as all its human friends enjoyed themselves on the inside. “Grandpa got really mad when he found out I was failing so many subjects. Said I spent too much time training and not enough time studying. I guess he has a point, but it still sucks.”

From across the table, Krillin piped up. “At least you can still go watch the fights.”

“Yeah,” Goku said, his eyes brightening a little as he glanced from his buddy back to Chi-Chi. “You'll come watch with me, right? It'll really suck to be stuck on the sidelines with just Bulma.”

Chi-Chi bit the inside of her cheek as Goku searched her face for an answer. How was she supposed to tell him – well - “Yeah. I'll be there.”

“Great!” His smile lit the whole area around them and she couldn't decide if her purposefully vague answer had been a good idea or not. “It'll be a lot easier to sit and watch if you're there, too.”

Oh, did he even realize the things he said? The words seemed to come to him so easily, making her heart flutter in her chest. She wanted to smile and laugh along with him. In fact, she almost did, but one thing sat in the back of her mind. Something she should tell him. He needed to know. But he looked so happy now. How could she…

Chi-Chi sighed. Oh, she _was_ going to be at the martial arts tournament they were discussing. There was no doubt about that. After all, she was already set to be one of the participants.


	3. Part 3: I Admired You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku sneaks down to the gym after school and is surprised at who he finds there.

 

 

~!~

 

“Hey, Goku!”

He jumped in his seat the moment he heard his name so close to his face. He'd gotten bored and drifted off again while the teacher droned on about whatever historical thing they were studying now. Chi-Chi would probably be annoyed when he asked for help, but moreso because he would admit to falling asleep in class. Again.

Well, at least this time he wasn't being called out in the middle of the lecture. In fact, the person in his face was a friend who shared the class with him, and a quick glance around showed that class had been dismissed for the day. A lock of blue hair grabbed his attention and he watched the hair twirl around a slender finger before he grinned up at the girl he'd known since early childhood.

“Hey, Bulma.”

“Sleeping again, huh?” Bulma asked, her breath smelling like bubblegum as usual. She even popped a small bubble a little too close to his face before she moved around to sit on his desk and pull her bag up into her lap. “You're never going to get to fight for the school ever again if you keep this up.”

Goku shrugged, putting an arm over the back of his chair as he leaned back. “I can't help it. I get so bored when the teacher's talking, I just fall asleep. But it's okay. Chi-Chi helps me study.”

Bulma's eyebrows went up, but she didn't stare at him long. She seemed more occupied by whatever was in her bag, digging around loose papers and notebooks, and the little bag of girl stuff Goku knew from experience not to touch. He frowned as he watched her. Even if he wanted to get up and leave, Goku knew once Bulma sat down on his desk he wasn't going to get very far until she did whatever it was she aimed to do. It was her little signal to tell him to wait. Running off before she was finished would only encourage her wrath, which no sane guy in the entire school would ever meet head on. Except Vegeta, but that guy seemed to get a kick out of Bulma's rage. Goku – and the rest of the school's male population for that matter – did not.

“Here,” Bulma said at last, handing him an envelop with embossed lettering, addressed to him by name. “An invitation to my Christmas party. You should bring Chi-Chi with you. She's never shown up at a party before, at least as far as I know, so it would be interesting.”

“Huh, okay,” Goku said as he took the invitation. “I guess I'll ask her at our next study session.”

“Great!” Bulma grinned as she hopped down from his desk, adjusting her shorter-than-average skirt before turning around. “I'm curious to see what it is about her that makes _you_ crush on her.”

“Huh?” Goku blinked. “What crush?”

To his confusion, his blue-haired blue-eyed friend only rolled her eyes at the question. His friends tended to do that, though, so it wasn't anything unexpected. He'd ask a question. They'd look at him like he was crazy. Life would move on – without having his question answered.

Today was no different. Bulma didn't even say goodbye as she walked away, content to shake her head and wave over her shoulder, popping another bubble with the gum in her mouth. Goku watched her walk out, assuming she no doubt had plans to meet Yamcha after -

No, wait -

Yamcha had a club meeting. A martial arts club meeting, to be specific. Bulma wasn't going to be seeing him any time soon. Or she might, if she decided to hop down to the gym to see Yamcha and Krillin spar. Then again, Bulma avoided the gym as much as possible because of the perverted old teacher who trained the group of them.

Now that he thought about it, Goku hadn't seen Master Roshi in a few weeks. He wasn't supposed to be down there training. Not until his grades went up. Besides, he had other things scheduled after school now – like special study sessions with Chi-Chi. Especially since his test had come back less than satisfactory (though it was still way better than previous attempts).

Maybe he could get away with being just a few minutes late? He wouldn't go to work out or spar or practice or anything. Just to watch. After all, Krillin and Yamcha didn't get to have an official spar with each other every day – and Goku had heard the tip from Krillin earlier today because his buddy was nervous about the tournament ring-styled match set up. It was for practice for the actual tournament at the end of the school year. Not getting to watch would just be upsetting.

Making his decision, Goku hopped out of his chair, grabbed his own school bag, and grinned as he tried to keep his pace steady while he skipped down the stairs two at a time. Just a few minutes. Chi-Chi wouldn't even have to know.

 

~!~

Chi-Chi knew, and somehow managed to beat him there.

When Goku walked into the section of the gym where their martial arts lessons were held, he froze in place immediately upon seeing her. With one hand in his pocket – the other hanging onto the strap of his school bag which he'd carelessly thrown over one shoulder – Goku stood at the room's entrance like a deer caught in the headlights. She was here – and talking with Master Roshi by the looks of it.

Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, held there by a ribbon at the nape of her neck. She was wearing something different, too, having changed out of the school's uniform. Considering the last class bell had just gone off, he had to wonder when she'd found the time to change or if she had changed earlier in the day or – well, it didn't really matter. He kind of missed the short skirt, but her dark blue dress was nice, too; it didn't have any sleeves so her arms were free to move and the long slits in her dress showed the red pants she was wearing, which made sense because they were in the colder months of the year and the leggings most girls wore with their skirts must not be as comfortable as -

“Hey, Goku.”

Forced out of his daze, Goku turned at his name and lifted a hand in a greeting. Yamcha walked over, wearing their school's orange gi with Roshi's symbol on the front and the school's logo on the back; he also had a towel around his neck and was chugging from a water bottle, which meant he'd been working out earlier. He must have been pulled out of class earlier because of his training match with Krillin. Sports were a big deal to the school. Well, sometimes.

Goku pouted at his friend. “Hey, you guys haven't already fought, have you?”

“Huh?” Yamcha blinked, then waved his hand. “Oh, nah, we haven't. Krillin isn't here yet, and I just went through a few warm up routines on my own. Master Roshi isn't exactly free to watch us yet anyway. You know how he gets with girls.”

Goku hummed in response, turning his gaze to stare at Master Roshi and the certain girl he was currently talking to. He gulped, “What's Chi-Chi doing down here?”

Before Yamcha could answer, the door opened behind him and Goku stumbled forward as someone ran into him. “Ah! Goku? What are you doing here?”

Turning around quickly, Goku put a finger to his lips to tell Krillin to quiet down. His buddy blinked up at him, not understanding the gesture at all. Not that it mattered. Krillin's loud exclamation had already given him away.

“Son Goku!” Chi-Chi called, and Goku turned to her, raising his hands defensively as her ire was suddenly stomping right up to him. “Aren't you supposed to be banned from the school gym?”

“Ah,” knowing he was caught made it impossible to come up with a good excuse, but he sure did try. “N-not exactly _banned from_ just...heavily advised not to?”

Chi-Chi crossed her arms under her breasts and raised an eyebrow up at him, giving him this playfully angry look that made him gulp for an entirely different reason. “Oh really? I guess you wouldn't mind me telling your brilliant excuse to your grandfather, huh?”

“Aw, Chi-Chi, come on,” he said, putting on a pleading smile and clapping his hands together in front of him. “Please don't tell my grandpa. I was only coming down to watch, I swear!”

Her playful look only seemed to grow as she turned her head, her ponytail tossing around in response to the fast jerk. “Well, I suppose I'll let you off the hook this time, but you better meet me in the library soon for our usual session. I just need to wrap up here real quick.”

As she walked away, Goku relaxed and stared after her, bringing a hand up to scratch at the back of his head. “Uhm, Chi-Chi, what are you doing down here anyway?”

A pause in her step. A slight hesitation before she turned back to face him. But then a playful smile appeared on her face as she brought a finger to her cheek and winked at him. “That's my secret, Goku.”

And then she turned back to continue her conversation with Master Roshi, leaving Goku to tilt his head in confusion. Secret? He had assumed it had to do with _him_ , since Master Roshi was his trainer and there was a slight argument going on between Roshi and Grandpa Gohan as it pertained to his school stuff. But if Chi-Chi was keeping whatever she was discussing a secret, then...And why was she wearing those new non-uniform clothes, anyway?

“Man, Goku,” Yamcha said beside him, leaning an elbow against his shoulder. “She's got you whipped.”

“Huh?” Goku blinked, not really understanding the meaning of the phrase. “You think so?”

“Wow,” Krillin mumbled on his other side. “I didn't realize she had that kind of firecracker personality in her. How can you put up with that?”

Goku shrugged. He didn't see the problem. “She only gets like that if I'm doing something I shouldn't be, and honestly I think I kinda like it.”

“Never figured you for that type...” Krillin mumbled under his breath, nudging his side with an elbow and asking something else before Goku could respond. “You gonna ask her out?”

“Yeah, I'm with Krillin,” Yamcha chimed in. “You totally need to ask her out.”

Ask her out? Goku blinked, once again not sure he understood what his friends were going on about. “Well, Bulma did say I should take her along to the Christmas party.”

Krillin pulled away, frowning and then shrugging, almost like he was disappointed by the answer. “Well, that's a start.”

“A start for what?”

“Nothing, buddy. Don't worry about,” Krillin said as he shared a look that went over Goku's head. “Yamcha and I got you covered. You just keep being you.”

Now he really was confused.


	4. Part 4: I Walked With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A winter storm hits the city.

 

~!~

It was one of those days when Chi-Chi really despised the school's uniform dress code. Girls not being allowed to wear pants was just absurd, though she appreciated the chance to wear her dark leggings. Her several layers of dark leggings. Most other girls in the school did the same, so she wasn't the only one making herself look a little less flattering for the sake of comfort.

Still, when she glanced out the window, she shivered. Frost was building around the window edges, making it difficult to see, especially from a seat that was on the opposite of the room from the outside. Still, she could tell that the very atmosphere was dark and dreary. Dreary and cold. As many times as she wished for snow, she also wished for it to be summer again. Dancing in the rain under a hot sun sounded so wonderful right now.

Chi-Chi sighed as her class was dismissed, and she packed her books into her bag, frowning at the little binder she used to help keep track of Goku's progress in their tutoring sessions. (She wanted him – and his grandfather – to be able to see his progress by the end of the quarter after all).

Of course, with the weather as it was, she was going to have to cancel their daily after school meeting. He'd be happy to get out of work, but she knew she would be missing the little extra time she got to spend with him. The little moments of trying to get him to focus, of him making her laugh even as he distracted the both of them. No wonder Goku had so many friends in so many different spectrums of the high school social classes. There was just something...well...he was simply _fun_ to be around.

Stepping out of the classroom while she finished sliding into her coat, Chi-Chi felt her eyes widen when she caught the familiar wild black hair among the crowd of students rushing to get outside. He had his own winter coat and scarf, which reminded her to tie her own, and he was standing there against the far wall just in front of her classroom door. She took a moment to stop in the doorway and stare back, surprised to see him actually waiting on her, and as soon as his eyes found hers, he seemed to light up with his usual grin as he hopped across the hallway.

“Hey, Chi-Chi,” he said as he grabbed her hand. “Come on. You gotta see this.”

She blinked down at where their hands touched, noting how he was already wearing gloves, too. “See what?”

He grinned and tugged her along down the hallway as he explained. “Well, I know you talk about the snow you used to get wherever you grew up, and it doesn't really snow here very often because it's usually much warmer. But look -”

By the time he'd finished talking, they had reached the school's entrance. Goku pointed up to the dreary sky, and Chi-Chi felt her eyes widen at what she saw. Childhood memories flooded her mind as the soft little flakes fell from the darkened and murky clouds. Memories of sliding on the hills near her old house, of her father giving her free reign to explore the mountain in the snow with exceptions of course. Ever since she moved here for the better high school education, she'd miss the snowy winters of her childhood, and she'd mumble about it whenever the weather turned cold.

Turning to Goku's bright and watchful eyes, Chi-Chi felt her own grin break free. He'd remembered. He'd _listened_. She never could tell when he paid attention, but she'd been so sure he wouldn't care about her nostalgic ramblings. Apparently he did.

After a few moments of staring at each other, Goku suddenly broke the connection with a loud exclamation, his eyes growing wide as he looked out over the falling snow – and the inches already piling up. “Oh crap! My bike's gonna be frozen!”

Before she could comment, Goku rushed off to the bike racks located outside the school. If he had remembered to drop her hand, she might have followed him anyway. Instead, she was pulled right along with him, trying desperately to keep her feet steady even as she was forced to match his faster than average pace.

“Goku!” She called, trying to get his attention as he dragged her around. “Goku, be careful, there's -”

_Ice._

The slip happened as if in slow motion. They were mere steps away from the bike rack when the fast pace suddenly took a new turn and Chi-Chi _knew_ he had lost his balance on a patch of invisible ice. Somehow, Goku still managed to keep his feet on the ground, but it was an awkward slide the whole way. Chi-Chi, on the other hand, could only keep herself in control for so long, not with his grip still tugging her along for the ride.

She closed her eyes as she felt her feet lose traction, as her arm ached against a new pull. Her shoes weren't the best for such a situation and it didn't take long for her own weak control to drop away from her. She only hoped when she fell it wouldn't be…

...soft and warm?

Chi-Chi blinked her eyes open and found herself staring up at Goku's apologetic smile. “Hey, sorry about that. I kinda slipped on something there. Good thing the bike rack was so close, huh?”

The bike rack. Chi-Chi turned her head to see that his back was against a frozen rack full of very frozen bikes. Still, he'd somehow used it to get his balance and turn around in time to catch her and keep her from falling. Though a part of her wanted to think about how fast that made him, she was a little too focused on her current position to worry about the _how_ anymore.

In his arms. She was in his arms. Her face was in his chest. And… Oh he was so warm, too, and he kind of smelled like Christmas; well, like a pine tree at least, but that was probably because he lived out in the woods and -

“Chi-Chi?” His voice was so close; she could almost feel it rumble in his chest from here. “Are you okay?”

At his question, she felt her face heat up as she fell back into reality. What was she _doing_? Too close. Way too close. For way too long. She pushed away from him, noting how he easily let her go, though his arms did kind of hover in the air for a moment.

“I'm f-fine. Thanks.”

His head tilted to the side, snow falling from one of his hair's outrageous spikes at the movement. “Are you sure? Your face looks red.”

“Oh my gosh!” The exclamation dropped out before she could hold it back, and she turned away quickly. Best to start walking now. Yeah. Walking. “I'm fine, Goku. I should really just...get back to the apartments. You know, before the weather can get worse.”

“All right,” he said, followed by a strange clunky sound, like something heavy was just broken or pulled free. “I'll walk with you.”

“Huh?” She stopped and turned as he walked up to stand beside her. “You don't have to...Goku, what are you doing?”

He blinked, as if not understanding the question. Since he wasn't going to explain, Chi-Chi stood in that one spot and stared at his confused grin with wide eyes. He'd freed his bike from the frozen rack, but now he just had the frozen bike slung over his shoulder. As if it was nothing. So casually. He really was the strongest guy in the school; if his martial arts skills were as good as his strength and speed, then no wonder Master Roshi was so upset over Goku being banned from the tournament. He certainly wasn't the smartest, though. The icicles on the bike were already poking into his coat and breaking off to slide down his back, whether he noticed or not. Good thing his bag was on his other side, and she hoped his coat was thick enough to keep him warm as all that ice melted around him.

“Oh, my bike?” Goku said, glancing over his shoulder as if he could see it. “I figured it would be easier to carry like this, since riding it isn't gonna happen. Would have been nice if we could still ride it, though, huh?”

She blinked out of her initial amazement and found that she couldn't stop staring at his eyes as the snow fell between them. They really needed to get home as fast as possible. There was no telling when or if the storm would take a turn for the worse, and she did not want to be caught out in the middle of it. After all, so much snow was _already_ on the ground…

“Goku,” she muttered. “You should probably just go straight home. You live out in the country and it's a long way to -”

“What? No, I want to walk you home.” The pout on his face, the words he didn't realize he said… “What if you slip on ice again? I gotta be there to catch you.”

Turning away to hide her blush, Chi-Chi decided to at least start walking. She could argue on the way. Oh, but it was such a sweet thing to say, to _do_. She didn't want to tell him not to follow her.

In fact, he actually skipped ahead of her. “Here. I'll go a few steps ahead and you can follow me so we know you can't slip on -”

“Goku,” she interrupted. “Now you're just being silly.”

“What?” His pout was real but the shine in his eye made her certain that he knew exactly what he was doing. “I know it's my fault you slipped the first time, but this way -”

“Goku,” she said again as she walked up to stand next to him, hands on her hips this time. “Don't be ridiculous. Walk with me like a normal person. Just promise me one thing.”

His smile lit up everything around them, like a bright beacon in the middle of a cloudy, dreary winter refusing to go out. “Yeah, sure, what is it?”

“If the storm gets bad, promise you won't try to walk all the way home by yourself.”

“Oh,” he blinked, then smiled. “You're really worried, huh? I didn't know a snow storm could be that bad.”

“Goku,” she sighed. “Just -”

He laughed, shifting the bike over his shoulder as he turned and prepared to start walking again, though he kept his shining eyes on her. “All right, all right. I promise. But that means you'll have to deal with me all night at your place.”

This time when she turned to keep walking, the blush refused to leave.


	5. Part 5: You Stayed With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi insists that Goku stay with her overnight because of the storm.

 

~!~

“So you really want me to stay over all night?”

Chi-Chi blushed as she stirred the hot chocolate, keeping her back to his hovering form. Well, it wasn't really fair to say he was _hovering_. Goku was just standing in the kitchen doorway, leaning against the entryway edge, one hand in his pocket, eyes clearly on her. But it felt like hovering because he was staring at her back the whole time. Needless to say, she felt a little self-conscious.

“Yeah, I do,” she said, focusing on the hot chocolate she was preparing for them. “It's way too dangerous for you to walk home now. The storm is getting worse and the temperature keeps dropping and -”

“Okay, okay,” Goku laughed. “I didn't know you were so worried about it, Chi-Chi. I'll stay. I'm just confused 'cause my grandpa always told me not to stay over at a girl's house. He always made sure I came home after visiting Bulma. I don't really know why...Something about keeping me out of trouble, but...”

As Goku rambled on, Chi-Chi felt her face flush deeper and darker with each passing phrase. She hadn't even thought of those implications. Goku was so innocent, still following his grandfather's rules, even if he didn't understand why it was improper. At least she knew now that Goku wouldn't even think of trying anything inappropriate tonight – because apparently the thought had yet to cross his mind.

Chi-Chi calmed her heart and her flushing face as she reached for two mugs. “Don't worry about all that, Goku. He'll understand why you stayed, and I'm not the kind of girl you need to worry about anyway.”

“I know that, Chi-Chi,” Goku said, though she wondered if he really did know what she had meant by her words. “I like you.”

She froze, thankful that she hadn't started pouring the hot chocolate yet. Her breath caught and she stared down at the stove, her eyes blinking back and forth as she thought about what he had just said. Was it a confession? Did he mean it that way? Or did he tell everyone that? Did he know what he said, what it meant? If he did…

Chi-Chi turned her head to face him, staring at his smile as he continued to lean in the kitchen's entryway. Still in his full school uniform, though the heavy winter coat and scarf and gloves and boots had come off shortly after they entered her apartment. She'd taken a moment to throw a towel at him so he could dry off from the melted snow and ice in his hair and elsewhere. Now he was just standing there, staring back at her, _smiling_. Was he waiting for a response?

Bringing a hand to her chest, Chi-Chi bit her lip, looked down, looked back up at him, took a breath and… “I – I like you, too, Goku.”

His smile seemed to grow; his dark eyes seemed to shine. “That's good. It'd be pretty awkward if we kept spending so much time together and we didn't like each other, huh?”

Feeling her heart drop, Chi-Chi turned back to the stove and the hot chocolate. Of course he hadn't meant it to be a confession. That was silly. She was silly. Oh, she was _stupid_ to think he would like her like that. Goku didn't show an interest in people like that. It was wishful thinking on her part.

Oh, but when had she fallen so hard for him? She hadn't thought of her own feelings so deeply before; she just knew she liked being around him. She could trust him. She felt safe with him. Obviously. She had brought him out of the winter storm to her own apartment with barely a second thought.

But he was confused by the gesture, so clueless about so many things...and yet his words left an ache in her heart. She wanted more. Oh, she wanted so much more.

With a sigh, she tried to shake the ache away and instead focused on serving the hot chocolate. Turning around, she held both mugs full of the warm drink and made her way to the _kotatsu_ table in the other room. She walked past him without a word, without a glance, wanting to control herself before acknowledging his presence again.

Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice, following her to the table as he had followed her to the kitchen earlier. “Hey, Chi-Chi, do you mind if I take my shirt off and stuff? This uniform gets uncomfortable after a while.”

Looking up from where she had placed their mugs, Chi-Chi blinked. “Uhm.”

No other words were forthcoming. Instead of waiting for her answer, Goku had already decided to strip away from the uniform. She stood transfixed as he tossed his black jacket to the side and then unbuttoned his white shirt so he could slip out of that as well. Her blood pumped in her ears and she gulped, thankful for whatever blessed god had decided to make sure he at least wore a tank top underneath his uniform today. Still, her eyes roamed and she felt her face heating again, especially when he started unbuckling his belt and taking his _pants_ off, too.

“Oh my gosh,” she squeaked, covering her eyes and turning her head, feeling the warmth from her face on her palms. “Goku!”

“Hm? What's wrong?”

_Of all the…_

Shaking her head, Chi-Chi turned away, making a beeline to her room, doing everything in her power to not sneak a peek. “You – just – sit under the table and cover up. I'll be right back.”

“Huh? Did I do something wrong?”

With a loud groan, Chi-Chi stomped into her room and slammed the door. _Breathe. Think of other thoughts. He's naive and clueless and doesn't mean to be so inappropriate._

After the initial shock wore down, she found that she had to giggle. Innocently inappropriate and all, it seemed to add to his boyish charm. In a way, it was funny and kind of cute how Goku so clearly didn't know any better. Still, she was going to have to spend the night with him, and that meant she was going to have to be on her guard for more of his casual at-home acts.

Taking a deep breath, Chi-Chi decided to take this opportunity to change out of her own uniform. After all, it was getting late. They'd already had dinner – a dish she made using multiple canned goods from her pantry mixed with some leftovers; she needed to go shopping soon anyway. With the snow continuing to pile up, though, there was no telling when she'd get a chance, but she had enough to last for a few days at least, even with Goku's absurd appetite.

Slipping out of her school uniform felt amazing. Goku was right about one thing. Being in that uniform all day was uncomfortable. Of course because of the cold air, she quickly located her cotton dark pink pajamas and got dressed to keep her legs from breaking out into goosebumps. Letting out a content sigh, she then grabbed two thick winter blankets – ones she had made herself – and made her way back to the room with the _kotatsu_ table, where Goku was sitting curled up under the built in blanket and blowing over the lip of his mug of hot chocolate.

Goku looked up as soon as she walked in. “Oh, hey, Chi-Chi, you look cu-”

She didn't give him a chance to finish, tossing one of the blankets at his face. He fumbled around a bit before pulling it down to wrap in it properly, but Chi-Chi was just glad to be able to breathe easier. Now he at least had something to hide those chiseled arm muscles and that dip in the tank top that exposed his bare chest. Yeah. Easier to ignore and focus with the blanket on him. (Of course she wasn't even going to _think_ about what he was – or wasn't – wearing under the table).

Turning her thoughts from Goku's attire, Chi-Chi sat down across from him and cuddled up in her own blankets. “Make sure you stay covered up in that. We may lose power and you'll want every bit of warmth you can manage.”

“Mmhmm,” he hummed. “Hey, Chi-Chi, can I ask you something?”

Raising an eyebrow warily, Chi-Chi sipped at her hot chocolate. “What is it, Goku?”

“Bulma's having this Christmas party and she said I'm allowed to bring one other person,” Goku said, his hands wrapped around his warm mug. “Would you go with me?”

She blinked, feeling her smile form and then drop immediately as she buried herself in her drink. “Why me? I'm sure there's plenty of other people you know and like that you can ask to go with you. I'm not really good at parties.”

“Huh? No, that's -” Goku started, then broke off as if realizing something before trying again. “Please, Chi-Chi? I like _you._ ”

Again he said the words, and she looked up at him with wide eyes, surprised to see those dark eyes looking so on edge. He was even leaning forward into the table a little, like he was holding his breath as he waited for her answer. Maybe he didn't completely realize what he was saying. Maybe it wasn't a confession. But it definitely made her feel special.

“Yeah,” she smiled after a moment, watching his eyes light up. “I'll go.”


	6. Part 6: You Leaned On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku goes shopping with Chi-Chi and encounters someone new.

 ~!~

Goku rode his bike into town, noting the piles of snow shuffled off to the sides of the road. Little piles. The snow was melting and had been steadily melting for days now. School had been canceled for the week, in expectation of the snow storm staying with them for a few days – except now, today, it was bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky.

Still pretty cold, though.

He could feel the wind rushing through his somewhat thick jacket as he pedaled through the streets. Jeans. T-shirt. Nice jacket. It was cold but not _that_ cold. Honestly, he could have avoided the chill altogether if he slowed his pace.

But he wanted to hurry up and get to the store where he was planning to meet Chi-Chi. After spending the night at her apartment, after telling her how much he liked her, his urge to hang around her only grew. Once the storm died down and he'd been able to walk back to his house in the woods, Goku had only felt more reluctant to leave than before, trying to come up with any excuse to stay longer. Nothing had worked, however, and he'd returned home to explain to his grandfather where he'd been and why. Of course, he'd managed to make plans with Chi-Chi for the end of the week and so with the school closed, he'd spent the next few days restless in his house as he waited for the chance to go shopping with her.

Not that he liked shopping. It was just an excuse to be around her outside of school and studying. Now that they were both going to Bulma's Christmas party, they needed to find gifts to bring, so shopping was the easiest way to convince her to hang out in town with him.

Thankfully, it worked. So now here he was, riding his bike at the edge of the city sidewalks as he rushed by all the buildings and shops on his way to one particular store. It was a place closer to her apartments, but when he'd suggested meeting her at the apartment, she'd only shaken her head and insisted on doing at least some walking on her own. Not that Goku really understood what she meant or why it mattered, but he went along with her wishes anyway.

Coming up to the store, he slowed his pace and then stopped altogether when he saw her leaning against the wall of the building near the door. She was wearing a dress, longer and more modest than the skirts of the school uniform but still somehow alluring as the frills of the skirt portion of her dress rustled against the dark pants she wore underneath. Of course she wore pants because of the chill in the air, but even if it was similar to what the school required the girls to wear there was still something _nicer_ about her personal style.

He tried to think of what he'd seen other girls wear outside of school, but he could really only recall the revealing outfits Bulma chose to dress in all the time. Chi-Chi's skin was almost completely covered from her boots to her sweater over her dress to the light scarf around her neck. And yet he couldn't stop staring, especially when she smiled and pulled away from the wall to walk up to him.

“Hey, Goku,” she said, putting a few strands of her long hair behind her ear. “Are you okay? You look a little dazed.”

Shaking his head, he climbed off his bike and mumbled a quick. “Y-yeah. I'm fine.”

Shuffling away from her curious gaze, he found a nearby sign post where he could tie his bike. As long as he didn't block anything important, it would be fine, but he preferred to chain his bike up rather than leave it against a store wall out in the open. He'd lost one too many bikes in the past by being careless and though he didn't have a particular attachment to his current one, the idea of walking all the way home kept him from being too trusting – at least this time. Besides, losing his bike in front of Chi-Chi seemed like it would somehow make the whole situation worse.

“So,” Chi-Chi said as they walked into the store. “Did you have something specific in mind?”

Glancing around at the several options of small gifts, Goku eventually turned back to her with a shrug. “I dunno. We can just look around and see if there's anything worth buying, I guess.”

Chi-Chi giggled. “I guess we're getting a gift from the both of us, then?”

Again, Goku shrugged. “We can, if you want. I don't really have all that much money to spend so it can't be anything too big, but -”

“Oh, don't worry about that,” Chi-Chi interrupted, waving her hand in the air as she smiled up at him. “My dad keeps sending me money even though I told him I was perfectly satisfied with what I had, so I can cover anything you want to get. Bulma is someone you've known since childhood and you guys are really good friends, right?”

Not really sure he was following along with her train of thought, Goku stared back at her and nodded. “Yeah, but-”

“Then we should get her something nice,” Chi-Chi finished, stepping forward to start browsing the aisles of gift selections. “We could get something for all your other friends, too.”

Mid-step in his route to follow her through the aisles, Goku froze and felt his eyes widen. “I can get something for everyone?”

“Yeah,” Chi-Chi said, meeting his eyes with a smile. “I don't mind. Especially if we're gonna make the gifts from both of us. I don't really know your friends all that well yet.”

He was stunned. No one had ever offered to do something like this before. Not even Bulma, who was arguably one of the richest girls in the city. Goku came from a small house in the woods, adopted by an older man he called grandpa and raised to live with the barest minimum of necessities. He didn't need much and he didn't ever ask for anything.

But whenever gift giving seasons came around, he was usually at a loss, having to choose one person to surprise or no one at all. His friends understood, of course, and they never expected anything from him. No one in their circle made a big deal about getting or giving gifts, so Goku had never really cared about the social status that set him apart from everyone else.

Still, Chi-Chi's casual and kind gesture made him pause and smile and wish he could hug her in gratitude. Suddenly, he liked her even more than before. That feeling in his chest just kept on growing the more time he spent with her.

He hoped it never went away. He hoped _she_ never went away.

~!~

After buying a collection of small but meaningful gifts for all of his friends, Goku decided they needed food. His stomach agreed, and so did Chi-Chi, though her agreement came with an added giggle. He wasn't too sure what she found to be so funny, but he did know he liked seeing her smile. It didn't really matter why she smiled or laughed. As long as she was happy, he was happy.

They found a small quick serve restaurant on the nearby corner, choosing a small booth against the window. Goku set down the bags of gifts and reached into his pockets with the intention of counting what money he had, but Chi-Chi jumped up and insisted on covering the food cost herself. He didn't have much chance to protest because she was already heading to the counter to order their food, forcing him to stutter out what he wanted as she left him to hold their seat.

With a sigh, he sat in the booth and stared out the window, at first just thinking he'd keep an eye on his bike but eventually his attention turned inward. He couldn't really recall a time when he had enjoyed a day of shopping. Or a day hanging out with just a girl. It felt strange, but he knew he really liked being around Chi-Chi, though he still wasn't sure what made her so special. She was nice and smart and kinda cute, but so were a lot of other girls in the school. No one else had made him feel quite so…

“Hey, buddy, what're you doing out this way on a free day?”

Goku blinked and turned from the window to see the familiar cap worn by his short, bald friend. “Hey, Krillin.”

Without waiting for an invitation, Krillin slid into the booth in front of Goku, setting his arms on the table. “No, really, though, what are you doing here – and with Chi-Chi no less?”

Tilting his head, Goku blinked again. “Huh? What's the matter, Krillin? You look really nervous for some reason.”

“Goku, come on,” Krillin hissed under his breath. “I saw your bike parked out front and then Yamcha and I poked our heads in and saw Chi-Chi up at the counter so -”

“Yeah,” Goku interrupted, nodding his head. “That's 'cause she's ordering food. We just spent a few hours shopping for gifts and – ow!”

Bringing a hand up to his forehead, Goku frowned and sent a confused glare to his friend. Krillin sighed as he sat back down in the booth, having jumped up enough to smack Goku. He didn't really understand why. Krillin sure was acting weird.

“This is _his_ territory, Goku,” Krillin hissed under his breath, leaning forward as he continued. “I know you don't really care 'cause you can kick his ass if you need to but -”

“Chi-Chi,” Goku finished, feeling his body tense when he finally realized what Krillin was on about. “I didn't notice we crossed the line.”

“Yeah, I figured,” Krillin muttered. “Don't worry, though. Yamcha's got her and she's new and not wearing her school uniform so she shouldn't be a target. Yet.”

At the 'yet' comment, Goku grimaced. The point was clear, though. Chi-Chi wouldn't be harassed by their rival school on her own. But if she was seen with Goku, things could escalate, especially since they were currently in the “territory” marked off by the Crane students.

Tien and his entourage had some kind of personal vendetta against Goku because of past school tournaments. Normally, Goku didn't care. Tien could “claim” whatever city territory he wanted. Goku pretty much went where he pleased anyway – because Krillin was right when he said Goku could beat back the sore losers as much as he needed to – but his _friends_ were a different matter. They were in danger of becoming targets.

After the incident that left Yamcha's place ransacked and put his friend in the hospital, Goku decided it wasn't worth antagonizing the Crane students. It blocked him and his friends from certain parts of the city, but nothing that really caused any complaints or distress. Life just moved on as normal.

Except now here he was across the line...and he was with Chi-Chi.

The sound of shattering glass filled the restaurant and Goku sprang to his feet, already on edge. He glanced around, finding Chi-Chi at the front counter, and he frowned. She didn't look hurt yet but she was in the center of a semi-circle of guys crowding around her. Guys in the yellow and green of the Crane master. Tien's crowd. Goku felt his feet move toward them, ignoring Krillin's warning, only to freeze a few steps away when Chi-Chi suddenly took action on her own.

In a flurry of motion – and well polished moves – three of the five guys surrounding Chi-Chi fell to the floor or were flung across the restaurant until they hit a booth or table. Most of the average customers were already leaving the area, recognizing the school related scuffle when they saw it. Tien's crew liked to cause mischief in the city, especially in the district around their school.

Still, Chi-Chi didn't seem phased, falling into a stance Goku didn't particularly recognize but one that looked suited to her build. Even with the dress outfit she currently wore. The other two guys in question came up behind her when she shifted positions, but Yamcha was there to cover her back. Goku smiled as he watched, being a few steps too far to help in time himself. Yamcha was a good friend.

Chi-Chi found his eyes and Goku watched as her stance relaxed, as the tension faded from her body. “Goku.”

“Goku.” He froze at the echo, narrowing his eyes and glaring off to the side as Tien walked into view from behind him; now Krillin's earlier warning made sense. “I didn't realize you had a girl. Cute how she thinks she can fight with the big boys.”

Ignoring the jabs, Goku kept his arms by his side, clenched but ready to defend if necessary. “I don't want any trouble, Tien.”

He was still too far from Chi-Chi. He didn't like being separated, not in this kind of situation, but he knew if he moved towards her now Tien would do something. Thankfully, Yamcha was next to her, but if the guys on the floor had knives or anything – which they so often did – the risk to both of them would be real. So, he was forced to play it cool and hope the situation wouldn't escalate. Protecting himself wasn't a problem. Defending his friends at the same time, that was a problem.

“If you didn't want trouble,” Tien said. “You should have stayed away from my favorite restaurant.”

“Fine. Sorry,” Goku snapped, holding his hands up. “We'll leave. No need for a commotion.”

“Your girl already caused one.”

At the look in Tien's eyes when he nodded toward Chi-Chi, Goku felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. She was marked now. She'd injured the pride of the Crane group by defending herself so magnificently, and so now she'd be a target. Her association to him – correct assumption or not – only made it worse.

Goku felt the growl bubble up from the back of his throat. “Leave her alone.”

Tien blinked, almost like he was taken aback by the reaction, but then he stepped in a little close to Goku, like he was daring him to make a move. Which he couldn't do. Because Chi-Chi and Yamcha were surrounded. And since he couldn't see Chiaotzu, he assumed Krillin was busy holding the little guy back for now. Those two had a rivalry all on their own.

“All right, Goku, I'll leave her alone, _if_ ,” Tien said as he walked around, always staying just outside a certain radius. “You promise to participate in the tournament.”

Flinching back, Goku tried to ignore the sag in his shoulders. “Who told you I wasn't participating this year?”

“Doesn't matter. Sad to hear it's true, though. I still owe you for the last time.”

“Look, Tien, we can fight somewhere else if it's really bugging you, but -”

“No,” Tien snapped. “We fight on the tournament stage by tournament rules. A win without you competing means nothing to me.”

Goku sighed, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. “But I _can't_. This year is just – I can't.”

After a momentary glare in silence, Tien stepped back, sent a glance over his shoulder to his crew, who spread out to allow Chi-Chi and Yamcha through. “Your girl better watch her back then.”

Feeling his teeth grind against each other, Goku held back the urge to punch Tien right there. He didn't say anything, but he was pretty sure his glare got his message across, even if the Crane's top student simply smirked in response. As soon as Chi-Chi was within his range, Goku snatched her hand and turned to leave the restaurant, despite her hushed questions and complaints. He felt Yamcha and Krillin behind him as he left the building, but he didn't relax until he'd unhooked his bike and walked across the street.

His vision continued to swim in red and he had to work to fight the new sense of rage clouding his mind. He'd never felt so _mad_ before, but the threat to Chi-Chi had tipped him over the edge and it was taking all his effort to reign it in. Thankfully, his friends and Chi-Chi recognized that he didn't want to talk, though they muttered amongst themselves even as they walked down the street with him.

“Well, it could've been worse, “Krillin said.

“Sure,” Yamcha countered. “It can always get worse.”

“Well, I mean at least Chi-Chi was able to help you knock them back.”

“Yeah,” Yamcha agreed. “Nice moves back there, Chi-Chi.”

“Thanks,” Chi-Chi murmured, her hands on Goku's arm as she walked beside him. “Goku, where are we going?”

Keeping his eyes forward, he let her touch slowly relax the tension he felt. “Home.”

“We'll walk with you,” Krillin said from behind. “Strength in numbers. Just in case they try something.”

“Thanks,” Goku muttered. “I don't think they'd do anything so soon, though.”

Yamcha murmured. “You never know.”

“Oh, hey,” Krillin jumped up suddenly, making Goku stop in place. “Here. These were at your table. I grabbed them for you, since you seemed a little preoccupied.”

At first, he blinked as Krillin held up a couple of bags, but then his face split into a grin when he saw the store logos. “Hey, thanks, Krillin.”

“No problem, buddy.”

He'd forgotten all about his earlier shopping exploits with Chi-Chi. It would have been a shame to leave all the gifts she'd bought. Taking the bags, he set them on his bike handlebars to let them hang and then he continued to walk. If he had just Chi-Chi with him, he would have offered to let her ride with him on the bike, but with all four of them hanging around it wouldn't work out. So he walked beside the bike, though his mood had mostly improved back to normal.

Until Chi-Chi sighed. “Well. If you're going home, Goku, then I should probably head back to my apartment.”

His hand shot out to grab her arm before she could take two steps away from his side. “No.”

Her eyes were wide when she turned to him. “No? What do you mean 'no?'”

“You can't go to your place tonight.”

“What?” She shrieked, pulling her arm out of his grip. “I can take care of myself just fine, Goku. I'm not afraid of those idiots.”

Wincing at her ire, he took a breath and tried to explain himself better. “Sorry. I'm sure you can put up a fight and all but...they put Yamcha in the hospital once. I don't – you live alone, Chi-Chi, and I don't want them to know where you live, okay? I don't want something to happen to you.”

Her eyes only seemed to grow as he went on and eventually she looked away from him completely. “Why would they come after me anyway? I was just defending myself from a couple of jerks.”

“Uh, Tien, he, uh -” Goku sighed. “Well, you heard him. He thinks you're my -”

“He thinks you're Goku's girlfriend,” Yamcha interrupted. “Which makes you a prime target even _if_ you hadn't fought back in there.”

“Tien's got a grudge against Goku,” Krillin added. “He'll hurt you to get to him. He'll hurt any of us really, but now that you're in the picture, well, Goku's right, you don't really want any of those guys knowing where you live.”

As his friends explained the situation, Goku found his eyes captured by Chi-Chi's gaze. In silence, he watched her go through several emotions. From regret to fear to determination. He withstood it all, knowing she was now regretting her association with him, even if she put on a brave face to mask the fear she felt.

“Chi-Chi,” he said into the silence. “Sorry, but could you come home with me tonight. Please?”

She searched his gaze as he searched hers, and with a little breath she leaned in next to him, grabbed a hold of his arm, and nudged him in the side. “All right but only for tonight. And I expect you to walk me home more often after this.”

“I can do that,” Goku grinned as they started walking again, feeling his heart tingle when Chi-Chi decided to lean against him as she matched his stride down the sidewalk. “No problem.”


	7. Part 7: You Trusted Me (section 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku takes Chi-Chi to Bulma's party.

 ~!~

“So, let me get this straight. You've spent the night with her twice now, and you still haven't gotten laid?”

Goku glanced up from the chess board in order to give his brother a half-hearted glare. Raditz had shown up a few days ago, getting his leave from the military around Christmas, a feat he didn't manage every year but one that was always appreciated when possible. Thankfully, Grandpa Gohan didn't mind the randomness of Raditz's family visits, even if it meant housing a soldier from another country. At least it wasn't an enemy country, though Goku suspected Raditz would still find some way to visit his “long lost little brother” no matter the roadblocks.

Now, they were seated across the wooden table in center of the room, sitting on two of the three cushions laid out around the table. Raditz never commented on the setup of the small house in the woods, but Goku's friends had called it an older and more traditional style. Goku sure hadn't seen its likeness in the city. Rectangular rooms separated by sliding doors with wooden frames and thick paper. A hearth built in the center of one of the rooms they used as both a kitchen and dining room. This room where they spent time visiting around different forms of entertainment, like the chess board his brother always insisted on. Besides teasing him, Raditz liked to spend time “teaching” him strategy through a game – or he dragged out the alcohol he smuggled in from his nation's military reserves.

“Aw, come on, Goku,” his brother said, sitting back and grinning. “Hell, where I'm from you two would have been fucking regularly by now.”

Goku frowned, real glad that Raditz had not actually met Chi-Chi yet. He was pretty sure the commentary would be even worse if he had. “I don't care. I wasn't even thinking of doing that until you brought it up.”

“Until I brought it up, huh?” Raditz's grin grew as he leaned forward, his long wild hair in danger of knocking over some of the chess pieces. “But you're thinking about it now, aren't you? Imagining what she'd look like underneath you, screaming for -”

Feeling his face heat, Goku threw his hands over his ears to try to block the sound of his brother's voice. “Would you stop?”

He may have been able to mute his brother's words, but the laughter was a whole different problem. When Raditz laughed, it filled a building, and the smug smirk on his face when he finished only made it worse. Still, Goku kept his hands over his ears and glared back at the smirk. His mind hadn't even considered the idea of sex – until Raditz had to go and start painting a picture for him. Some older brother. Now he wasn't going to be able to look at Chi-Chi the same ever again.

Eventually, Raditz poked the center of the chess board as if to remind him of their game and Goku grumbled as he removed his hands in order to make a move. He didn't give much thought to the game. He'd already realized he was stuck and now it was just a matter of hanging on until the bitter end. Maybe a last ditch opportunity would arise if he kept at it long enough, but for the most part, he was pretty certain Raditz had already won.

“You're a jerk.”

“Nah, just an older brother,” Raditz said, glancing over the board before moving his black Queen piece a few blocks over. “Check. Oh. Check _mate_ actually.”

Eyes widening, Goku leaned over the board, certain he had heard wrong. “What? No way! I had a few moves left, at least.”

“Nope,” Raditz laughed. “Not with that last move of yours. Guess I distracted you at just the right moment, huh?”

Looking up, he met the smirk of his older brother and knew Raditz had planted that conversation on purpose. In fact, they'd been talking about Chi-Chi almost since the game began and somehow at the perfect moment, Raditz had caught him completely off guard – in more ways than one.

With a groan, he let his head hang as he grumbled. “You really are a jerk.”

“Like I said,” Raditz said, ruffling his hair in that patronizing way he had done for six years now. “Just an older brother.”

Six years since Raditz had tracked him down and started visiting. At first, Goku hadn't known who he was or what he was talking about when he talked of being orphans and adopted by different people. But Raditz sure had been happy to see him, so Goku went along with it until the brother idea felt more natural. Besides, he did have some very, _very_ vague memories of a younger Raditz, though most of them were centered on that giant wild mass he called hair.

“Goku!”

At the shout coming from outside, Goku jumped up from his cushion and rushed to slide the front door free. He grinned as he helped his grandpa walk in with a pile of grocery bags. Grandpa Gohan didn't always go to the city for ingredients, but whenever Raditz visited he went out of his way to be accommodating. He didn't know why. Just that there was some awkward friction between his blood relative and adopted father figure, which left his grandpa trying to prove he could provide for both boys without a problem. Not that he had to. Raditz was always willing to cover his own expenses, but no one in their right mind would ever turn down free food.

“Hey, Grandpa,” Goku said as he helped the elderly man set the groceries on a table while Raditz cleared the chess game. “Whatcha planning for dinner tonight?”

The old man chuckled as he sorted his food items. “I don't think it matters for you, my boy.”

“Huh?”

“Don't you have a party to go to?” Grandpa Gohan said, nudging him toward the door. “That girl you like is supposed to be waiting on you, isn't she?”

Feeling his eyes widen, Goku gasped as he realized his grandfather was right. “Oh crap! I forgot!”

Ignoring the laughter of his brother, Goku rushed through the rather small house, which really only meant a few quick strides to get to the back. He pushed back the sliding door to his bedroom area set in the corner of the house and instantly threw his coat on over his casual wear. Bulma might dress nice for her own party, but none of the rest of them ever did. It was a casual thing and she didn't expect much out of them, so it would be fine if he showed up in sweatpants and -

“Don't forget to change, Goku!” His grandfather called. “If you're taking a girl with you, it looks bad on her if you don't at least try to dress up, too.”

Groaning, Goku glanced around his room, trying to think of what he could possibly wear now. Grandpa was right. He should look nice for Chi-Chi. At least a little. But what could he wear? It wasn't like he owned a lot of fancy clothes. Those were expensive. Like his school uniform.

Ah! That would work! At least the pants would be nice and as long as he had some shirt that wasn't the school shirt or similar, he wouldn't get called out for it. Not that he really cared, but he was pretty sure none of his friends would bother dressing up. But if _Chi-Chi_ did, then he didn't want her to stick out. So he grabbed one of his few button down shirts that wasn't white and proceeded to change as fast as possible.

He hoped Chi-Chi wouldn't be too upset if he was late. He really had just lost track of time. Especially with his brother here. He liked spending time with his brother and the visits were so few and far between. Time spent with Chi-Chi was still better, but time with Raditz was...nice.

“Hey, little brother,” Raditz said as he stepped into the room. “Catch.”

Thankfully, he had already finished changing clothes by the time Raditz decided to pull his stunt, so Goku was easily able to snatch the small box out of the air. “What's this?”

“My gift to you. I get one every year, don't I?”

Goku blinked as he stared at the somewhat bent cardboard box. It didn't look like a gift because it wasn't wrapped, but Raditz rarely spent the effort on such things anymore. Not like when they were younger. Humming to himself, he tugged at the box, forcing it open and then digging through the professional packing to pull out a thin cell phone.

“Huh?” He blinked, looking up at his older brother. “A phone? How did you manage that?”

Raditz shrugged. “I got a raise. The details don't matter. But, hey, now you can keep in touch with me and I can check on you whenever I want.”

Goku frowned. “Somehow I doubt that's a good thing.”

Laughing at the cold statement, Raditz walked up to slap his arm. “It'll be great. You can tell me all about Chi-Chi. I especially want the details if you two ever do get around to -”

“Ah – no – just – stop?” Goku breathed, tossing the box at his brother to get him to shut up even while his face flushed. “She's not even my girlfriend, yet, okay?”

What he thought would be the perfect deterrent to his brother's teasing only made Raditz laugh more. Laugh and pat at his shoulder. “Oh, sure, sure, keep telling yourself that.”

With a whine, Goku pulled away from him. “But it's the truth. I haven't asked her yet.”

Finally, the teasing laughter stopped and Goku was able to ignore the presence of his brother as he worked to calm the flush in his face. Everyone else's teasing didn't bother him, but for some reason what Raditz said actually brought attention to how he felt about Chi-Chi. He knew she was different. He just hadn't realized she was _that kind of_ different.

As Goku grabbed the bags of presents for his friends, he gave one last look to his brother before leaving the room. Raditz stood near his futon, arms crossed, eyes contemplative as they stared at the mats on the floor. For a moment, Goku was taken aback. What had he said? Maybe he should remember it for next time. Still, with a shrug, he turned and left the room, giving a wave to his grandfather, who sat near the hearth preparing dinner for the night.

His grandpa nodded and smiled. “Have fun and take care of that girl. I know how some of your friends can be. She's a little nice to have to deal with all of them at once.”

“Yeah,” Goku grinned. “I know.”

“Goku!” Raditz called from over his shoulder. “Ask her out already. You've been stringing her along for long enough, don't you think?”

Not understanding half the terminology, Goku blinked. “Huh?”

He really didn't understand what everyone meant by 'ask her out.' Hadn't he already done that? More than once, too! First he'd asked her to the tournament. Then to the party. Then shopping for the party. And now -

“Nevermind,” Raditz sighed. “Go out. Have fun. Don't be an idiot.”

Goku grinned and slid the door open before stepping out into the chilly nighttime air. “Yeah, I know.”

~!~

His breath clouded the air as he rode his bike down the sidewalks. Puffing into the cold at a perfected rhythm, it showed not only how the weather chilled the night but also how much effort he was putting into his pedaling. He wasn't _too_ late. Hopefully, she wouldn't be mad or upset. He'd learned from Bulma that girls didn't like waiting. Honestly, he didn't like waiting, either; he just tended to be a little absentminded so he forgot his plans sometimes.

Especially when other things – like visiting older brothers – interrupted his usual routine.

When he did finally arrive at Chi-Chi's apartment, Goku set his bike against the outside wall and rubbed his hands together for warmth before knocking at the door. She wasn't outside already, which could either be a good thing or a bad thing. Usually, she liked meeting him somewhere down the street instead of having him walk up to her door himself. So either she was also running late or she'd already gone back inside after giving up on him. Goku rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about that; maybe she really _was_ upset because he was late. Should he just leave, then?

He turned slightly, taking a step as he reached for his bike, pushing the sick disappointment to the side. But then the door opened. Hearing his name with her voice, Goku jolted up quickly, smiling wide as he focused attention on the door and on _her_ and suddenly his mouth went dry as she stepped out and closed the door behind her.

Chi-Chi smiled up at him, strands of black hair framing her face and brushing across bare shoulders. He gulped as his gaze traveled from her vibrant eyes to the skin he never got to see. He didn't really understand why it was suddenly so hard to breathe and think straight as his eyes wandered from the thin straps of her dark purple dress down to the not-so-modest neckline where he could just barely see the curves of her breasts.

For some reason, his face heated and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from whining. The sudden urge to touch made him shake his head and lower his gaze as fast as possible. Only to be caught staring at other curves, accented so nicely by the waves of her dress, and then there was the slit that teased a few glimpses of the bare skin of her legs.

“Goku,” Chi-Chi whispered, her hand against his cheek, thumb on his chin, gently pulling his face up. “You're staring.”

“Ah – hm?” Words failed him until he took a breath and cleared his throat, focusing on her eyes. “Sorry.”

She giggled. “It's all right.”

Even though Chi-Chi had forcibly averted his gaze, Goku found his mind to be a whirl of images. Images he'd never had to deal with before. None of the other girls he knew gave him urges to touch and hug and hold and carry and twirl around and...so much more. He hadn't _really_ had that longing when it came to Chi-Chi, either, beyond holding her hand. Until his brother put _other_ sorts of thoughts in his head, which made him swallow a groan for a completely different reason now.

“Goku, are you okay?”

“F-fine,” Goku said, clearing his throat and keeping his eyes above her hair; her hair that was braided and pulled up into some sort of bun with loose strands left to frame her face. “Aren't you cold?”

“Huh? Oh, it is pretty chilly out here. I'll go get a coat real fast.”

When ChiChi rushed inside and left him hanging at the doorway, Goku took the moment to breathe. Too many new thoughts in his head. All the ideas buzzing around wanting him to take action, and for once he knew better. Usually he acted first, thought later, but _this…_

Swallowing something in his throat, Goku brought his hands to his head and tried to forcibly rub the thoughts out. “Oh man.”

This was crazy. He couldn't think of her without having his mind drift into an embarrassing territory, and right now he couldn't think of anything else except her. He groaned as he put his hands in his pockets and took a deep breath. This was all his brother's fault. He hadn't had this problem before with any girl, ever, not even Chi-Chi – except now Raditz had planted the seeds and he couldn't stop thinking about -

“Goku,” she said as she exited her apartment. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

He straightened up, glad to see the most revealing parts of her dress being covered by her coat; that would help. “Yeah. It's fine. You ready?”

She nodded. “Yeah, as long as you think the dress isn't too much. I wasn't sure what to wear, but I heard Bulma's parents liked to throw extravagant parties so -”

Tuning out the rest of her rambling, Goku reacted without thinking and set his hands at her waist to pick her up and twirl her around in the air, grinning at her surprised face when he set her down. A part of his mind screamed that he shouldn't touch, he shouldn't do stuff like that, if she wasn't even his girlfriend yet. But he couldn't help it. Actually, he wanted to pick her up again, but he managed to push himself back. Letting go of her waist and the feel of the soft fabric over her delicate female body...yeah, letting go was hard, too, but he managed. Somehow.

He kept the grin, though. “You look -” _pretty, amazing, beautiful,_ “-nice.”

“Nice?” She asked before smiling back at him. “Well, so do you. I still feel a little over dressed, though.”

“Aw, really?” Goku pouted. “I tried to wear the nicest thing I had.”

“Oh! I didn't mean -” Chi-Chi shook her head and then stepped around beside him, linking her arm through his, clinging as he blinked down at her. “Are we walking? I don't think riding a bike is the best idea if I'm in a dress.”

Glancing over to his bike, Goku laughed. “Oh, yeah, uhm, could I keep it in your apartment, though? I don't really like leaving it outside when I'm not close by.”

“Sure,” Chi-Chi said, dropping her hold on his arm to go unlock her front door. “We'll just leave it in the entryway.”

As he nodded along, he went about moving his bike into her place, and then they were free to start walking, making sure to grab the bag of presents before actually setting out on their way. Once they were out in the open night air, Goku found it was much easier to keep his thoughts from running away. After the initial shock of seeing Chi-Chi so dressed up, he was able to slip into a more relaxed state around her. Walking helped, too, because they'd been walking the streets together ever since that day of shopping.

Of course, neither one of them mentioned Tien or the gang when they walked. Goku had done enough explaining the night after the incident and Chi-Chi strayed away from asking too many questions. Instead, he walked her home from school every day and they enjoyed each other's company as if it was something they'd decided to do on their own. As if it wasn't a precaution for Chi-Chi's safety. As if Chi-Chi hadn't been threatened at all.

Disregarding all that, walking with Chi-Chi was nice. Now, she jokingly complained about how long it took her to get ready for the evening, and he admitted to almost forgetting about the night's event entirely. Since she seemed upset by his admission, Goku then went on to explain how his brother was in town and how rare such visits were. When she asked to meet Raditz, he just laughed and shook his head. _That_ was a meeting he knew he had to save until later, if it had to take place at all. Considering how free Raditz was with his mouth and all…

Of course, the discussion of his brother brought back the unwanted thoughts and Goku had to work to distract himself once again. Suddenly, he understood what all the guys at school talked about when they were discussing girl's skirt lengths. Not that Goku would ever care about another girl the same way. Chi-Chi was definitely the first to ever affect him so. But he could at least understand where the other guys were coming from, especially when he found himself staring at Chi-Chi in the moonlight, having accidentally tuned her out in favor of admiring the way she looked in that dress, even with the coat on over it.

Until she stopped in place and put her hands at her hips. “Goku!”

“What?”

As he blinked up at her, she huffed. 'You're staring again.”

“Ah – I am?” Putting a hand to his face, he stepped back and stared at her through his fingers. “S-sorry. Really. I – this is new to me. You look so good, I just don't want to look away, I guess.”

Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow. “Good? What's that supposed to mean?”

“Huh? It means uh...” Goku scratched at his cheek, feeling the warmth there as he tried to explain. “I like the dress. I mean, I like you in the dress. I mean, I like you. I – uh – Chi-Chi -”

His stuttering whine only earned him a light laugh as she leaned up on her toes, planting a kiss to his reddening cheek. As soon as she did it, she stepped back, smiling up at him, though he could see it faltering as the silence rocked between them. He needed to say something. Something about the kiss. As sudden and surprising as it had been, Chi-Chi had just _kissed_ him. Oh, sure, it was only a little peck to his cheek, but he knew what a kiss was, and he knew girls didn't do that for just anyone. It was special. And he was too stunned to think of anything to say.

After a while, Chi-Chi said something herself. “Did that help?”

He gulped. “N-not really.”

“Oh,” she said. “Well then. Let's keep walking. We're already late, aren't we?”

Glancing away from him, Chi-Chi turned to continue the walk to Bulma's house. Even though Goku was supposed to be leading the way, he couldn't get his feet to move. He was too busy thinking about the kiss and how she'd looked and sounded disappointed by his reaction. Had he done something wrong? He was just being honest. Was she expecting something more?

Biting the inside of his cheek, he stared after her and took a breath at an idea. If she could do it, then so could he, right? Without debating options, Goku slid up next to her and gently grabbed her arm to freeze her steps. When she turned her face to look up at him, he leaned down to leave a small kiss of his own to her cheek, returning the favor.

He pulled away, dropped his grip, but made sure to grin. “I really do like you a lot, Chi-Chi.”

Her smile met his grin, her eyes shining in the moonlight. “I really like you, too, Goku.”

At the words, his chest filled with warmth and his grin turned to laughter. He couldn't help it. She made him feel so _happy_ , especially when her giggles added to the sound echoing down the street. When the laughter died down, he reached for her hand, which she eagerly gave, and they continued their walk without saying another word. They didn't need to speak. Their smiles said it all because without a single word, their relationship had evolved on its own and that was all they really needed.


	8. Part 7: You Trusted Me (section 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku encounters something he's not prepared for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter with the dub-con. Yes, from Goku's point of view things may look kind of bad, but the next chapter with Chi-Chi's point of view should help clear some of it up at the very least.

 

_3:00 a. m._

Goku frowned at the time display on the microwave. The little blue lights illuminated more of the area than the moonlight filtering in from behind closed curtains. He didn't turn an overhead light on, partially because he didn't think about it and partially because he just didn't want to wake her up.

He hovered by the tea kettle, ready to grab it the second it made a noise. For now, he waited with his arms crossed at his bare chest, leaning back against the opposite counter. Her kitchen was nice, the tile cool on his bare feet, the few decorations leaving a taste of home, a feeling of belonging.

He didn't want to leave. He knew he could have; he probably should have gone a long time ago. After all, Raditz had left several texts on his new phone, wanting details at first and then acting worried when Goku insisted on not coming home. He would stay the night with her, keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't get sick or something from everything she'd unknowingly gotten into…

Even if that meant he would have to face her wrath when she did wake up. Whatever happened, Goku was pretty sure Chi-Chi would be upset. It felt wrong to just up and leave after all they'd done together.

~!~

_Earlier that evening – at the Brief's mansion_

~!~

“Oh, Goku, there you are!” Bulma called as she waved them over. “You're awfully late, you know.”

Sparing a glance to the buffet table, Goku let Chi-Chi pull him toward his friend. If it had been his choice, he would have gone for the food immediately, but Chi-Chi insisted he visit with his friends first. Even Bulma seemed a little surprised when they walked up to the little circle of friends, as if she too had expected Goku to go right for the food.

Standing next to Bulma, Vegeta scoffed. “ _What_ are you wearing?”

Goku blinked over at the shorter friend, blinking again when he saw what the scowling guy was wearing himself. Dressed in a gray suit with a pink shirt underneath his coat, Vegeta certainly didn't have room to talk. His friends never dressed up for these things. In fact, a quick glance around the circle showed Krillin and Yamcha at their most casual with jeans and appropriate T-shirts. Bulma, of course, had the flashiest dress she could find for the year. But _Vegeta…_

“Hey,” Goku said. “At least I'm not wearing a suit – and at least it's not pink.”

Laughter filled the little friend circle, and Vegeta's scowl deepened. “Nevermind.”

“Anyway, Goku,” Yamcha said once the laughter died. “Took you long enough.”

“What happened?” Krillin said right behind him, grinning, plastic red cup in hand as he pointed at Chi-Chi. “Did you get distracted?”

Feeling a light blush hit his cheeks, Goku turned to Chi-Chi as if she could break the teasing spell. Except she seemed just as affected, her own face sporting a little pink tint. She met his gaze, then glanced down, slowly dropping her tight hold on his arm, something she'd been clinging to ever since they walked up to the mansion. Goku frowned at the separation but he quickly focused his attention on his friends again.

“Yeah, actually,” he said, earning a pair of grins from Krillin and Yamcha both. “My brother kinda wanted to play chess and I almost forgot all about -”

“Raditz is still in town?”

At Yamcha's interruption, Goku nodded. “Yeah, didn't he tell you?”

Yamcha shook his head and then reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. “Sorry, guys, I'll be right back.”

As his friend walked away from the group with his cell phone in hand, Goku felt his eyes widen at the sudden reminder. “Oh! Right! Hey, guys, Raditz gave me a cell phone for Christmas!”

Almost as soon as he pulled out the silver flip phone, Bulma snatched it from his hands. “About time you got a phone – ick – even if it is an older model.”

“Hey,” Goku said, pulling his hands up behind his head. “It's better than nothing, I guess.”

“True,” Bulma said. “I'll just go ahead and fill in everyone's contact details for you.”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

If anyone was going to know the group's numbers, it would be Bulma. She kept up with all kinds of information about them all. While Bulma punched contact details into his new phone, Goku let his eyes wander around the room.

He'd almost forgotten what it was like inside this place. Towering ceilings with brilliant hanging chandeliers – chandeliers that were covered with paper tonight to create a soothing, welcoming atmosphere with the lights dimmed and little designs playing around the tiled floors and well lacquered furnishings. Somewhere off in the distance a piano played soft Christmas tunes, allowing the adults of the city to dance and carry on. Come to think of it, this room alone was a little separated from the rest of the party, almost as if Bulma had finally gotten her wish for her own party section.

With a grin, Goku turned to Chi-Chi, only to see her being pulled away by his best friend. “Uh – what -”

Krillin waved his hand in the air. “Relax, Goku, I just want to ask her something.”

“But,” Goku said with a tilt of his head. “Can't you do that here?”

To his surprise, Chi-Chi giggled. “It's all right, Goku. I'm pretty sure I know what Krillin wants to ask me. It won't take long.”

Still not understanding, he gave a nod. “Oh. Okay. I'm gonna get some food after Bulma gives me my phone back.”

“All right,” Chi-Chi said. “I'll meet you at the punch table then.”

Quirking his lips in a small smile, Goku nodded. The punch table. Right. As long as she didn't actually expect him to drink the punch. He'd fallen for that too many years now to let it happen again.

In hindsight, he should have warned her.

~!~

_Present Time_

~!~

The tea kettle whistle snapped him to the present and Goku jolted forward to pull it off the stove top as fast as he could, shushing at the steam as if that would help. Thankfully, Chi-Chi didn't come storming into the kitchen demanding an explanation. Whatever noise he had accidentally created had gone completely unnoticed by her. She must have been really tired…

...or really worn out.

He sighed as he pulled out a mug for his late night tea and began pouring the hot water. She was going to be so mad when she woke up. He could feel it. But he just hadn't known what else to do. Oh sure, listening to Raditz had been a bad idea, but denying her as much as he had for as long as he could had taken so much out of him.

On top of the state Chi-Chi had been in, Goku already found it difficult to think straight around her. When she had started clinging and asking, _begging_ for more…

Goku groaned as he stared at the tea bag in the hot water and watched it slowly settle.

What had even been in those brownies? In the punch? How could such an innocent, fun night turn so wrong so quickly?

~!~

_Earlier that evening…_

~!~

Admittedly, Goku was always the type to be easily distracted. Even if he had planned to find Chi-Chi as soon as Bulma finished with his phone, he got a little too caught up chatting with Bulma and Vegeta. Mainly Vegeta. About the tournament.

“So, are you gonna participate, Vegeta?”

“Are you?”

“Huh? No, I'm -”

“Then of course I'm not.”

Well, he should have expected as much. Unlike his friends Krillin and Yamcha, who fought in tournaments because it was fun and good experience, Vegeta fought for a completely different reason. A personal goal: beat Goku. Goku had claimed the title for the past few years, but Vegeta wasn't after the title so much as the chance to win against Goku. Vegeta's martial arts training and skill was a matter of family pride – a long standing line of tradition outside of any school. For Goku, who was the top student of a school gym teacher, well, the loss had cut Vegeta personally. And every consecutive loss made it worse.

They were still friends, though. Sort of. Thanks to Bulma.

“Goku ~”

At the playful call, he turned around to meet eyes with a smiling Chi-Chi. She was positively beaming, her mood creating a glow in the atmosphere around her. Her coat had been removed upon entering the mansion, so his eyes were quickly drawn to the straps of her dress and how one of them seemed to be slipping off her shoulder. Without thinking, he reached out and adjusted the strap, gulping back the sudden urge to do more, shaking off the images in his mind as soon as they entered his brain.

Lifting his gaze back to her bright eyes, he focused on keeping his breathing more even and natural. “H-hey, Chi-Chi, did y-”

Before he could form a coherent sentence, something warm and moist and...chocolatey was shoved into his mouth. Goku felt her finger ghost across his bottom lip as she left the tasty treat to settle at his tongue. Not needing to be encouraged to eat, he chewed at the chocolate dessert, glancing down at the plate in her hands to confirm what he was currently eating. Brownies. Really good ones, too, from the taste. And the smell.

Gulping down the rest of the brownie, he reached for a second one. “These are great, Chi-Chi. Where'd you get them?”

“They're called senzu brownies, apparently.” Chi-Chi giggled. “This cute little boy with cat ears gave them to me. He kinda looked like a cat when he smiled, too, but I've never met someone brave enough to wear cat ears like that. Did someone tell him this was a Halloween party by mistake? Anyway, he was real nice. Said he made these himself. Oh, but there was another one who said he helped and oh, I can't remember his name. Yaji-something.”

“Yajirobe,” Goku said with a groan as he slowly put the brownies back on the plate, already feeling a little sick to his stomach at the reminder of past experiences. “Korin and Yajirobe always make something weird and call it 'senzu-whatever.' Uhm. How many did you have Chi-Chi?”

She shrugged, still smiling up at him. “I don't know. They're really good, though. Oh, and they go well with the punch. Have you had the punch?”

Goku tried not to wince as he shook his head. He should have been paying more attention. He didn't expect Korin and Yajirobe to find Chi-Chi so quickly. Those two were always looking for new victims, and they showed up at every party whether they'd been invited or not. Every last one of his friends had an experience to warn them of taking food from the furry and his friend. Once you saw the signature white cat ears, it was your signal to stay away from the dessert table.

And who knew what happened to the punch every year. Goku just knew that was off limits, too. Everyone knew that. Well, except Chi-Chi.

“Hey, Goku!'

Before he could snatch the brownie plate from Chi-Chi's hands, another of his friends showed up at his side. A friend who had walked away with Chi-Chi in the first place. Goku frowned. Why had Krillin left her with Korin and Yajirobe anyway? Or worse – why had he left her alone?

“Krillin,” he said, finally taking the plate from Chi-Chi and shoving it at his best friend. “Here. Take this for me.”

“Huh?” Krillin blinked. “Where did you – oh – _oh_ – oh shit, my bad.”

Chi-Chi giggled, though she seemed entranced by the chandeliers above. “How are they all hovering in the air like that?”

Goku grimaced. “Chi-Chi...”

“Anyway, Goku,” his best friend said to snap his attention. “Bulma wanted you to meet her and Vegeta over at one of the tables. She's trying to get Vegeta to play that pocky game with her, but he keeps refusing. But she thinks maybe if you and Chi-Chi...”

“Oh, Goku!” She was grabbing his arm, shaking it. “Let's do it!”

For some reason, the look in her eyes made him gulp back some awkward feelings. “Ah – okay?”

Seeing her face brighten considerably, Goku grinned himself. He wasn't sure what this pocky game was exactly, but Chi-Chi seemed excited at the idea. Even if her inhibitions were down, as long as she stayed with him, everything would be fine, right? He could keep an eye on her. Make sure she didn't do anything unknowingly stupid. After all, he knew firsthand senzu-experiences didn't lead to good memories – and she was trusting him.

A glance around to locate the small table in a dark corner, and Goku parted ways with Krillin to go find Bulma. As they walked across the floor, Chi-Chi continued to cling to his arm, even going so far as to rub her face against it. He bit his cheek, unsure whether it was necessary to call her attention to her actions, or if it was better to just let her be. After all, she might make a loud fuss if he pointed it out – and then the embarrassment would only multiply.

In the end, he decided to let her cling however she wanted, and when they reached the table he made sure she was settled in a chair before sliding into one right next to her. He tried to focus on Bulma and Vegeta across from him, but he couldn't help but smile at every sighing giggle from Chi-Chi. Yamcha was also at the table, though he was buried in his phone and not really paying attention to everything else.

“So, Goku,” Bulma said. “You wanna play the pocky game and prove to Vegeta it's not some big deal to get worked up over?”

With a shrug, Goku placed his hands on the table, noting the rectangular box of stick treats resting on the white tablecloth. “Sure. I don't really know what it is, but Chi-Chi's excited to play.”

Bulma smiled. “Of course she is.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind,” Bulma said, waving her hand in the air. “Why don't you two go first? Show Vegeta how it's done.”

Vegeta scoffed, but Goku nodded with a grin. “Yeah, all right, what do we do?”

“I got it, Goku,” Chi-Chi half sang, standing up and moving to hover by his chair. She grabbed one of the strawberry pocky sticks and then pushed at his shoulder. “Sit back. Meet me in the middle.”

He blinked but slid back in his chair like she said. “Huh?”

Without actually explaining anything, Chi-Chi sat down in his lap, straddling his legs. Goku's eyes widened, even as his hands moved down to her hips to adjust her seated position, feeling her curves through the fabric of her dress. Tongue at the roof of his mouth, he failed to find words, though his lips did part eventually to ask a question. That was when Chi-Chi pushed the pocky stick inside his mouth and he realized her lips were already pressed around the other side of the stick.

Oh, god, she was so close.

He could smell her above everything else. Her sweet flowered perfume. Her natural more earthy scent. The faint odor of sweat in the background. Oh, and something else, too. Something new. Something that made his fingers want to touch the skin of her legs now revealed because of how the slit of her dress was separated.

Goku gulped when he realized she was getting closer, shifting forward against his legs. He groaned as he felt her move, feeling the bare skin of her upper thighs, the heat hiding behind her thin panties, the sensations that sent all kinds of thoughts swarming through his brain. Too close. She was too close. He had to -

The pocky stick shook in his mouth and he thanked the distraction, reminding him of the game. Was she eating it from her end? Oh, that was why she was getting closer.

_Meet me in the middle._

Okay, he could do that. Swallowing it a little piece at a time, he nibbled his way down the strawberry stick, slowly reaching her end as she slowly reached his. A breadth from her lips, he stopped, suddenly realizing what this game was leading to. He stopped because he knew better. Chi-Chi wasn't thinking straight. She wouldn't want this. Not now. Not in front of everyone. He had to pull back and -

_Too late_.

Lips buzzed as hers brushed against his, and he froze. He gulped, swallowing the last of the pocky stick, and parted his buzzing lips to tell her that was enough. Only, she wasn't done. She didn't stop or back off at all.

In fact, Chi-Chi's hands were at the back of his head, clinging into the little edges of his hair. And then her tongue – now pocky free – was entering his unsuspecting open mouth. Eyes widening, he gasped, which only encouraged her to press on.

It was more than a buzz. It was warm – hot – and it sent shivers down his spine as she explored and claimed the inside of his mouth. Heart hammering in his chest, he let her go, let her do what she wanted. His hands trembled, unsure what to do, losing himself in the feeling of the moment. Until his eyes slipped closed and his hands went to her waist, fingers slowly threading down her sides to her hips, cupping her backside, squeezing her thighs. Thighs that were harder than he expected for a girl, toned like someone who worked out. She must have a powerful kick; he wondered what she'd be like as a fighter.

Before his day dream could lead him further from rational thought, a camera flash interrupted the heated kiss and Goku pulled away from Chi-Chi, hands rubbing at his eyes. “Ow – jeez – what was that –“

“A picture,” Yamcha's voice. “To commemorate your first kiss. Also, Raditz kinda asked me to take one for him.”

“H-huh?” Goku blinked several times as he looked up to see Yamcha high-fiving Krillin. “Why did – h-hey! Guys, that's not cool. Chi-Chi's not gonna like that.”

“I don't think she cares right now, Goku.”

When Yamcha pointed to the girl still sitting in his lap, Goku felt his face flush. Chi-Chi looked dazed. Beyond dazed. She was off in some other world and bringing her back down would be near impossible at this point. While Chi-Chi fell against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder, he grimaced and lifted his hands to rub her back.

“This is a bad idea,” Goku said, though he wasn't sure which idea he was talking about now. “I need to take her home.”

Whether or not Chi-Chi would remember what had happened, this wasn't fair to her. He had to get her out of the party before his friends could push them into anything else.

...well meaning or not, he should have just taken her home and called it a night. Then, maybe he could have avoided things getting so much worse.

~!~

_Present Time_

~!~

Things had happened too fast. Whether it was because he was inexperienced or dumb, things had definitely happened too fast. Goku sighed as he held his mug of hot tea and walked through her apartment. The moonlight shined from behind the curtain, lighting his way as he took one step after another. It was late, but he wasn't really tired. He couldn't sleep well right now. Too much on his mind. He was hoping the tea might help. His grandfather always made some special tea when he had trouble sleeping, so maybe this would work. Not that Goku knew for sure if he'd even grabbed the right kind, but, well, it wouldn't be the first mistake he'd made tonight.

As quietly as possible, Goku pushed open the door to Chi-Chi's room. She was still asleep. Resting peacefully. Curled up under the covers without a care in the world. Good. The longer she slept, the better. Maybe her morning wouldn't be as bad as his had been that one time.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he slid into her room and carefully shut the door behind him. Chi-Chi stirred a little in her sleep, mumbling something that sounded a lot like his name. With a smile, he walked over to the side of her bed and put a hand on her forehead, checking to make sure it wasn't too warm. He'd had enough warnings about substances making some people really _really_ sick, so he wanted to keep a close eye on her just in case. Considering he couldn't sleep right now, he might as well do what he could for her, especially since she had _a lot_ of _whatever_ Korin and Yajirobe had given her.

Thankfully, she felt fine temperature-wise so he smiled at her again and backed up to sit in the nearby plush chair she had set up in her room. Blowing over the lip of his mug, Goku sipped at the hot tea and pulled his legs up to cross them. He set the hot mug in his lap, letting his pants absorb the heat and giving his hands a much needed break.

Beside him underneath the lamp on the small desk, his phone blinked off and on in the darkness, reminding him of his thousands of new messages. Raditz probably hadn't quit sending texts until an hour ago – or he was still sending them. Goku didn't care. He was going to ignore every single one and erase them in the morning. Whether some were from his friends or they were all from his brother, it didn't matter. He wasn't going to read or listen to any of them anymore.

His relationship with Chi-Chi had been just fine until his friends (and brother) felt the need to push them further faster than they wanted. Instead of being helpful…

...it was more like he'd been pushed off a cliff, and he was falling slowly as he waited to see what would meet him when the dawn lit up the unknown below.

~!~

_Earlier that evening…_

~!~

Her face was pressed into his neck, her voice humming very softly to herself. Goku walked down the street and tried to ignore the little tingles each one of her breaths sent down his spine. It wasn't a very cold night, but he knew he should have been much cooler than he felt. It was too warm. He was pretty sure Chi-Chi was to blame for the warmth he felt, too.

Carrying her on his back meant he had to deal with her breasts pushing up against him. A new feeling entirely and something that made his mouth dry whenever he thought about it. Besides that, she had her arms draped over in front of him, presumably to help hang on as he walked, but she was more or less toying with the buttons on his shirt. She even managed to snap the first two free in order to slide her bare hand down under his shirt.

Such teasing touches on her part only made the walk to her apartment that much more difficult. With her breathing against his neck and her hands roaming his chest, Goku found it near impossible to think straight. He wanted to kiss her again. Like before. Do what she had done to him, pin her down and kiss her senseless, show her just how much he liked her.

But he had to keep going. Biting his cheek, he swallowed the whimper, and forced his steps to keep moving forward. Down the street. Her apartment wasn't too much -

“Goku.”

Her voice in his ear made him freeze in place. Images assaulted his mind and he had to shake his head to get rid of them. She giggled and then licked at his neck and then giggled again when he yelped.

“ _Chi-Chi_ ,” he whined. “ _Stop..._ You don't want to do this. I know you wouldn't do this normally. So, _please_? You're making it hard to concentrate.”

She giggled again and then lowered her chin to his shoulder, never really answering. Clearing his throat, Goku adjusted his hold on her legs and continued on down the streets. It really was too warm right now. He was finding it hard to breathe, much less keep his thoughts from wandering.

When they made it to her apartment, he breathed a giant sigh of relief. A little awkward conversation and he managed to find the key and get them both inside. Once he closed the front door, Goku went straight to her bedroom, sparing only a small glance for his bike in the hallway. Kicking open the door to Chi-Chi's bedroom, he walked in and immediately set her down on her bed, having to take an extra moment just to pry her hands away from him before he could step away.

“Goku,” she whined. “Don't go.”

He groaned, running a hand across his hair. “Go to sleep, Chi-Chi. Trust me. You'll appreciate this in the morning.”

That was when his cell phone rang, making him yelp and turn his back to her as he snatched the vibrating phone from his pants. “ _What_?”

“Oh, good, you picked up. I saw that you've finally had your first kiss.”

_Great_. His brother wanted to tease him. “Yeah. Not that it meant much 'cause she's kind of out of it.”

“Hmm. Where are you now? Her apartment?”

“Yeah. In her room trying to get her to go to sleep.”

Raditz groaned. “Careful, little brother. If she's too high or drunk to -”

“Goku,” Chi-Chi whined, her arms suddenly around his middle as her cheek pressed into his back. “I need your help. I can't get my dress off by myself.”

“Ah -” Goku closed his eyes and licked his lips. “ _Chi-Chi_...”

His brother laughed over the phone. “Look, Goku, serious advice? Enjoy yourself however you want, but whatever you do – don't stick your dick in her.”

Feeling his face flush because the _mere image…_ “Weren't you teasing me earlier for not getting laid?”

“This is different. She's not all there right now so you don't wanna actually fuck her. Kiss, sure, fine. Anything else, yeah, fair game. She _might_ get mad no matter what, but she'd definitely kill you if you fucked her now.”

Bringing a hand to where Chi-Chi's were pressed into his stomach, Goku groaned. “Could you _not_? She's already asking me to take her dress off, I don't need you adding anything else to -”

“Goku,” Chi-Chi's voice at his other ear. “Get off the phone.”

Before he knew what was happening, Chi-Chi snatched the phone out of his hand and tossed it behind her, letting it fly and slam into a wall or desk or something somewhere back there, which made him wince. Hopefully it wasn't broken now. Although he opened his mouth to protest her little stunt, he forgot all about his phone when Chi-Chi picked _him_ up next and threw _him_ behind her. Of course, he didn't go very far, only landing on the bed, and quickly sitting up to let his legs hang off the edge as he gaped up at her.

“Whoa, Chi-Chi, I didn't know you -”

She was getting pretty good at interrupting him now. While he was still in the process of forming words, she plopped into his lap and caught his open mouth like she had earlier tonight. Her tongue toyed with his and for a moment he forgot all about the warnings, forgot about his pounding heart, and let his hands ride up to her shoulders, working her coat off as fast as his fingers would let him.

The kiss continued, refusing to break, neither one of them wanting to let go. His hands trembled at her back, finding the zipper to her dress and tugging it down to reveal the bare skin underneath. Her hands went to his chest, popping the buttons off as she nearly tore the fabric of his nice shirt in an effort to expose more of his skin for her own touches. He groaned as she splayed her fingers over his muscles, and he reached up to the straps of her dress to start tugging them past her shoulders, only for her to push him down.

Their lips parted as he fell back against the bed, panting for air, the little break being enough to remind him of the here and now, of the situation, of how he shouldn't get lost in feeling. “Chi-Chi, wait, we need to -”

He jerked at a new sensation, his words cutting off in a hiss and then a moan and then a whimper. Her hand was in his pants. _Her hand was in his pants_. And it felt good. _So good_. He didn't want her stop. _Don't stop._ Bringing his hands to his hair, he panted out her name, trying to tell her not to do that, she wouldn't like that, she wouldn't want to do this if she wasn't -

_\- but_!

Her fingers were stroking him underneath his clothes and suddenly his pants felt two sizes too small. And then she stopped. When he opened his eyes, he saw her hovering over him.

“Goku,” she pouted. “My dress...”

Letting out his breath in a rush, Goku snapped his hands to her waist and pulled them both up to a sitting position. He moved her next to him instead of allowing her to shift around in his lap anymore. Instead, he focused inward for a moment. Heart pounding in his chest, he tried to focus on control, but the second he looked to Chi-Chi and saw her disheveled state, her dress practically falling off of her, he knew control was near impossible at this stage.

With a gulp, he reached over to help her slide out of the rest of it. He even picked her up and stood up himself to allow her dress to simply fall to the floor – with a little helpful tug here and there along the way. When he raised his eyes from the floor where the dress lay now, he felt his brain shut down temporarily. She was already in the process of slipping out of her bra and reaching for her panties, too.

Shaking his head, he grabbed her hands and squeezed. “Chi-Chi, don't -”

“Goku...” Her eyes found his, and then she whined. “They're so wet, though. It's uncomfortable.”

He closed his eyes and had to fight a rush of instincts begging him to just let her do what she wanted. But he knew better. He wasn't lost to all rational thought, even if she was, and he didn't want to hurt her.

“Wait 'til I leave,” he said. “I don't want to see...not yet. Not when you're like this. Please?”

Chi-Chi frowned but after a while she nodded. “Okay.”

Letting out another rush of breath, Goku smiled. “Okay. Good. Now, I'm going to leave the room. You change or whatever you want to do once I leave, and then go to sleep, okay?”

She didn't voice an affirmative this time, so he was a little wary when he dropped his grip. Thankfully, Chi-Chi didn't fight or spring anything else on him. So, he felt like it was okay to leave now, even if she looked a little sad.

Running a hand through his hair, Goku stepped away from her. He didn't look back. He didn't want to see her bare skin, especially didn't want to get caught staring at her breasts. Or thinking about them. Slamming his hand against his forehead, he tried to rub the images out. Too much had happened already. He didn't need his thoughts making it worse.

When his hand touched the doorknob, her voice froze him in place. “Goku~”

He turned around, sighing, ready to try to convince her again, only to have his shirt grabbed and used to fling him back against the door. The doorknob hit near the base of his back, and that alone hurt, but his head also snapped hard into the door, finding some metal edge that made it all the worse. Crying out, he slumped down almost immediately, holding his head with both hands and rubbing it as he squatted down on the floor.

“Chi-Chi,” he groaned. “That _hurt_.”

A giggle as she dropped down in front of him. “Sorry, but I really want you to touch me right now. So can you? Please?”

“H-huh?” He questioned, raising his head even as he continued to rub it. “Touch you?”

“Yeah,” she said, grabbing one of his hands and pressing it against her panties where he could feel the wetness soaking through the fabric. “Right here.”

All of his thoughts fled from him, his face heating, the pain in his head and back no longer any sort of problem. He swallowed his negative response as she rubbed his hand against her, feeling so much more than he ever thought he would need. Inside his pants, he twitched, and he remembered Raditz's warning: _“_ _enjoy yourself however you want but whatever you do – don't stick your dick in her.”_

Okay, but now he wanted to do just that and it took more of his self control to hold _that_ urge back. Too much self control to even worry about denying Chi-Chi a simple touching game.

“Y-yeah,” he mumbled. “Okay.”

Dropping her grip on his hand, she moved forward to reach for something else, namely going for his pants, pulling the waistline down, and then moving herself even closer between his legs to whisper near his ear. “I'll touch you, too. That's all I wanna do.”

With a whimper and a nod, he gave in, sitting down more comfortably, so he could pull her closer and kiss her. One hand rubbing at her back, he closed his eyes and let the fingers of his other hand sneak around her panties to touch her bare center. He didn't know what would feel good to her exactly, but he knew the wetness was a good thing, so he focused his attention there and didn't let up. In response, she jerked against him and stroked him in time with what he did for her.

Their paces picked up. Chi-Chi grabbed at him and started to pump, forcing him to break the kiss, and his finger found a hole amid all the wetness to slide into, making her gasp and moan in return. “Goku.”

When she moaned his name, it felt like a fire ignited something more inside of him, and he leaned his head down to kiss at her neck, getting her to make more sounds as they went. The hand he had at her back soon moved to her breasts, squeezing at the softness there, a softness he'd never felt before but one he decided he liked quite a lot now. And her cries got louder. And higher.

Both of her hands gripped him and started a fervent pace, which made him grunt and groan and whisper her name right back at her. Even as she cried out for him to keep touching. They went faster. He pushed two and then three fingers in and out of her at his rapid pace, all while she tried to match him. And then her cries did something different. Her body arched and her hands stopped pumping, like they were only able to squeeze him, making him wince slightly, even if he was too caught up in her show to care.

He could feel her insides clench around his fingers and he pushed them in as far as he could, letting his thumb graze across the strange little bulb he had found amid all the fun. She twitched, jerked, and then fell against him as she moaned low and long. Thinking that was his signal, that meant she had reached a climax, Goku pulled his fingers out and reached over to finish himself off, letting out his own grunt of a noise as he came across them both on accident.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “I'll get a towel. You ready to sleep now, though?”

“Mmmhmm,” she hummed, still content to lay against him.

At first he smiled, wrapping his arms around her, and rubbing her back gently. But then he realized what this meant. What they'd done. What state she'd been. And he grimaced.

She was going to hate him in the morning.


	9. Part 8: You Took Care Of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi wakes up and talks things out with Goku.

A headache. Pounding against the inside of her skull. Crashing around like a storm toying with a ship at sea.

At the thought, her stomach turned, the queasy sensation assaulting her senses. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly salivating far too much. And then she snapped her eyes open and tipped her head over the side of the bed to throw up all the contents in a flash. At this point, she couldn't even care if she hit the floor – or not.

What she least expected was to have an actual trash can at her bedside. Even more unexpected was the hand at her back, rubbing soothing circles near her shoulders, and then reaching out with another hand to hold her hair back. Disheveled, tangled mess of a tipping bun of hair – with those loose strands now being held back so they didn't get near her mouth.

When she finished emptying her stomach, she took the offered towel to wipe her mouth, and she coughed as she slumped back on the bed. Her sweet helper moved the trash can and sat down on the bed next to her, hand back to rubbing her neck and shoulders.

Chi-Chi hummed appreciatively and then turned her head to see who was sitting next to her. She smiled when she saw him and then frowned at the look in his eyes.

“Goku...”

“Hm?”

His shirt was off, so he was wearing just his pants, but they were wrinkled beyond belief and a little stained in places. His high school uniform pants, probably his only pair, now somewhat ruined. She glanced away from his clothes, looking up into his eyes, noting also how his wild black hair almost seemed to droop as if carrying some heavy burden.

But back to his eyes.

Goku's eyes were usually so bright and happy, positive no matter the situation. Never clouded. Never worn. Or distraught.

He was upset. Really _really_ upset. So upset, he was exhausted.

And she knew why.

The memories of last night flooded back to her. Well, not so much a flood as a slow trickle. The party. The conversation with Krillin that probably started it all. A small admission about how she was beside herself waiting on Goku to confess _more_ , to _do_ more. A kiss on the cheek was nice and cute, but she'd spent so long with him she was bursting with the need for more, and yet anytime she tried to broach the subject Goku always laughed or appeared confused. Because he was too innocent to understand her advances.

A kiss.

That's all she told Krillin she wanted. A way to lower her nerves so she could ask or snatch away Goku's first kiss. First _real_ kiss. On the lips. Peck or not. She wanted it and she had a feeling he was holding back for her sake, especially after the way he was looking at her all night.

It wasn't Krillin's fault or intention for Korin and Yajirobe to show up then. But they had. And the opportunity presented itself to lower her inhibitions. So she took it.

...she took it too far.

She could remember Goku's panic, his fear, his hidden desire even as he constantly pushed her away. Time after time he shoved her back as gently as he could, and time after time she jumped on him like a selfish, needy animal.

Oh, she was so embarrassed! And those were just the fuzzy memories!

Feeling her face heat, Chi-Chi took a breath. “Goku, what happened last night?”

“Uh,” Goku winced back, “Well...”

His eyes wandered away from hers, and she followed the gaze to realize she was actually wearing her pajamas. The same ones she'd been in when he stayed the night the first time. Since when had she been dressed? She was pretty sure she blacked out after doing...stuff...so… She'd expected to glance down and find herself naked after the incident and -

Lifting her eyes back to his, she twitched her lips in a smile. Only to drop them at the way his head was hanging. At how he was rubbing the back of his neck. He looked _so_ upset. It didn't fit him at all.

“Chi-Chi, I -” Goku groaned, as if the words themselves were difficult. “We kinda -”

She knew what had happened. Her memories were fuzzy but not _that_ fuzzy. It was hard to piece together everything of last night, but she had the important memories at least. Except, _he_ didn't know that. _He_ didn't know what she could remember.

His response, his honesty, would be the most important moment in their relationship thus far.

“We kinda had sex.”

Eyes widening, she felt her jaw drop when his words finally came out. “W-what?”

_No, we didn't. That's not right. We didn't go that far. Unless…_

Her stomach sank and she instinctively pulled away from him, rubbing her arms and fighting the urge to throw up again.

_Unless you did something else after I was actually out of it._

“Chi-Chi, I -” his voice cracked. “I'm sorry.”

Pulling her legs up, she glared over at him. “What happened, Goku? Tell me exactly what happened.”

“ _Exactly_?” He groaned again. “Well, you – I mean, I touched you, uh, down there, and you touched me. It's not really sex, but I couldn't think of what else to call it. It's still just as bad, right? I mean, you weren't thinking straight because of what my friends gave you. So, that means I took advantage of you, right? Isn't that how this works?”

Silence stalked between them. In some corner on the desk, a light flickered on and off in the darkness. It illuminated Goku's face with each blink. His pained, upset face. Chi-Chi pulled her legs closer, sinking into herself. At least now she knew for sure those memories were real, even if he was still hiding some of the information from her.

He wasn't telling her the whole truth. He wasn't explaining how _she_ pushed _him_ into the act, under the influence or not. He wasn't blaming her _at all_ or pointing to her as the one who initiated and insisted and _shoved him against a door_ to get what she wanted.

No, Goku was prepared to take all the hate, all the blame for himself.

And it was making her cry.

“Chi-Chi,” he said gently as soon as her first sob broke through her defenses. “...I'm sorry. I didn't want...I never meant to hurt you...”

“Goku,” she sniffed, rubbing her eye, swallowing more tears. “Did you – did you really take advantage of me like that?”

He sucked in a sharp intake of air. “I – I guess? I'm not really sure, but I think I could have tried harder _not_ to do anything at least. I honestly didn't _want_ to do anything, Chi-Chi. That's not why I took you to the party or why I brought you home. I just – after you shoved me against the door I kinda couldn't fight you anymore. You're – you're the first girl, the only girl, I've ever thought about like this and it was – with you climbing on top of me, I couldn't breathe straight much less think and -”

She smiled and moved closer to him, poking his bare chest to stop his words. Finally, _finally_ he gave his excuses. It was so endearing for him to take all the blame, but she'd made him vulnerable and he needed to know that she _understood_.

Chi-Chi was no delicate flower that needed strong hands protecting her from all the fall outs of life. One reason she had moved out of her hometown to go to high school here was because her father's hands refused to let her learn and make mistakes on her own. She wasn't weak and fragile. She was tough, strong, and she could handle the truth. She could take care of herself.

But she had finally found a guy who was honest enough to tell the truth no matter what and sweet enough to hide the minor details in order to take the fall. Sweet enough to want _her_ to feel better, even as he no doubt ripped himself up inside. How could she push him away? Any other guy would have taken full advantage. Any other guy would have said _you thew yourself at me_ and excused away any other behavior.

Goku didn't. He admitted his mistake and glossed over hers.

Oh, she couldn't help it. She reached up, put her hands to either of his cheeks, and met his eyes with a smile. At the last second, she hesitated. She wanted to kiss him – the feeling was a strong, burning desire – but with everything that had happened it was probably best to back off and keep it sweet and simple. After all, he was torn up enough without confusing him anymore. So, she dropped her hands and wrapped her arms around him instead, leaning in to give as tight a hug as she could manage, resting her face against his chest.

Goku grunted. “Ow.”

She blinked, pulling back easily enough since his arms hadn't wrapped around her in return. “Ow?”

“Yeah,” he muttered, reaching one arm around awkwardly to try to rub his back. “Kinda hurts right there.”

“Oh! Oh, you hit the door knob around there, didn't you?”

“Yeah, I-” he stopped, eyes narrowing. “Wait. I didn't tell you that.”

She blushed as she faced his gaze. “Oh...right...uhm...I actually do remember last night.”

“You -” his eyes widened. “You remember?”

Chi-Chi nodded. “Yeah, I -”

“You remember and you're not mad?” His arms moved, holding her shoulders. “I thought you'd be mad. You're supposed to be mad. You're supposed to hate me for -”

“For _what_?”

She snapped, narrowing her own eyes. How dare he tell her what she was _supposed_ to feel after all that? She had her own feelings and her own reasonings for why she felt such things; she didn't fall into any stereotypical setting. Especially when the situation wasn't so black-and-white to begin with.

Goku stammered. “Uh – well – f-for what I did.”

Raising an eyebrow, she crossed her arms. “You mean, you want me to be mad at you for running away from me so much? For avoiding it as much as you could? For pushing me away?”

“H-huh? No, I -?”

“ _Oh_ , you want me to be mad because I _got what I wanted,_ is that it?” She huffed. “ _Boys_ , honestly. You're not the only ones who do stupid things because of desire.”

“Chi-Chi,” Goku whined. “I'm confused.”

Tilting her lips into a smile, she pulled her legs up underneath her, sitting on her knees. Just so she could lean over and kiss him on the forehead. “I wasn't the only one who had those brownies last night. You were having troubles thinking straight, too, weren't you?”

“Ah – hm.”

With a giggle, she sat back. “Why don't you go sleep now? You're more than confused – you're exhausted. Actually, we should both get a little more sleep, I think. We can talk more tomorrow. All right?”

“Uh, sure, Chi-Chi,” he said, getting to his feet, rubbing his head, still looking dazed. “Whatever you want.”

~!~

When she woke up later that day, releasing her hair from the bun and mess of bobby pins, Chi-Chi let out a relieved sigh. She felt a little hot from wearing the cotton pajamas underneath her blankets, but the pounding headache from before had dissipated. Hopefully, this meant the churning in her stomach was because she was hungry instead of sick. Whatever mess of drugs and alcohol she'd gotten into had not sat well with her. She was pretty sure she didn't want to ever repeat the experience. Especially considering what she had done while under the influence…

Running fingers through her tangled hair, Chi-Chi climbed out of her bed. Thoughts of the previous night still haunted her. While she could remember most everything in surprising clarity, she wasn't exactly proud of herself for losing control. For _wanting_ to lose control.

It had been an awful, terrible idea that led to an awful, terrible situation.

A small part of her wanted to shift the blame. It would be so easy, too. After all, she _was_ the one who had been under the influence, but – _but_ – she'd put herself in that position in the first place. On _purpose_. She wouldn't feel right about blaming the others.

Especially not Goku. Not after seeing how torn up he'd been over the ordeal. While it was true that he probably could have continued to push her back, Chi-Chi knew she had pushed him pretty far, pretty fast, into completely new territory.

Such a sticky mess of a situation though. And the only way to solve it was to talk about it, apologize, and hope their relationship wasn't ruined because of it.

A flashing light caught her attention even in the dim lighting of her bedroom. Chi-Chi scratched at her arm under her pajama sleeve and walked over to her desk. Goku's phone was sitting there underneath the lamp. His rather _new_ cell phone.

Feeling her curiosity get the best of her, Chi-Chi snatched his phone and flipped it open, gawking at the notification indicating he had over a hundred messages waiting for him. Unable to hold herself back from prying into his messages, Chi-Chi pressed a few buttons to see the long list just waiting to be read.

From his brother, Raditz:

 

> **Shit, bro, you weren't supposed to hang up on me.**
> 
> **Pick up the phone.**
> 
> **Damn it.**
> 
> **Look.**
> 
> **Don't listen to what I said.**
> 
> **Just. Argh.**
> 
> **Don't do anything.**
> 
> **Nothing at all. K?**
> 
> **You better get this.**
> 
> **Call me in the morning.**

From Bulma,

 

> **Take good care of her, Goku.**
> 
> **Senzu experiences never lead to good things.**
> 
> **Don't let your crush on her make you do something dumb. Trust me. You'll regret it.**

From Krillin,

 

> **Hey buddy.**
> 
> **Hey.**
> 
> **Hey.**
> 
> **Hey.**
> 
> **Hey.**
> 
> **Goku.**
> 
> **Gokuuuuuuu.**
> 
> **Don't ignore me.**
> 
> **Look. For what it's worth I didn't set anything up.**
> 
> **Not any of that. She's been talking to me and Yamcha both lately. But well last night.**
> 
> **She wanted it. It was her idea. The kiss part at least.**
> 
> **Oh, here's a pic.**
> 
> **Call me later, buddy.**

The picture was what she was most interested in. She could vaguely remember the flash and some complaint from Goku about his friends snapping a photo while they shared their first kiss. _Their first kiss_. Under such awful circumstances. She groaned. All she'd wanted was a little something to help loosen up her nerves. Not...not what she got. But she couldn't really blame anyone for giving her the opportunity to make such a fool of herself. She blushed as a memory of the pocky game hit her full force – as she opened up Goku's phone pictures to see the photo of them kissing.

Oh, great, she was all over him.

She didn't remember it being _that_ intense. Well, no, she could remember the intensity of the kiss. The way he just accepted her, let her do whatever she wanted as she dove in and -

At least he looked peaceful and relaxed and _happy_ in the picture. It was a pretty good photo, actually. Good enough to -

She smiled at an idea. Tapping a few buttons, she set his phone background as the very picture of their kiss. There. Now he could see it for sure when he opened his phone. If their relationship was ruined, at least she'd always have his first kiss. And he'd have hers.

Frowning, she groaned again. She really hoped everything wasn't ruined. Such a stupid, _awful_ idea on her part. Leading to such a stupid, _awful…_

With a sigh, Chi-Chi shook her head, pushing away the negativity. All that was left to do now was to wait for him to wake up and have a conversation with them both well-rested. Oh, and with her no longer having that headache or sickness in her stomach. Speaking of which, she should get up and make some breakfast. A glance at the cell phone's time and she grimaced. Or dinner. Sleeping through the day. Great. Another thing that could have been avoided.

Oh well. All she could do now would be to stand up and move on and hope for the best. At least Goku was still in her apartment. Still willing to talk about the problems of last night. She was pretty sure most other guys would have left a long time ago.

There was a reason she liked him.

~!~

After brushing her hair out for the sake of comfort, Chi-Chi stepped out of her room, quietly closing the door behind her. She held onto Goku's phone, intending to hand it to him. She couldn't imagine why he'd still be asleep, not with the bright rays of sunlight filtering in from her curtains and blinds. Besides, there was no reason to have his phone in her bedroom. Not when his brother or possibly grandfather would eventually call to check on him since it was so late.

With a sigh, she walked into the small living room, expecting to see him sitting around waiting on her. Instead, she had to stop and smile softly. Goku was sprawled out asleep on the floor, still only dressed in his uniform pants. He had found a couple of blankets to stack on the floor as a makeshift pallet and one blanket that looked to have been intended to use as an actual cover if not for the fact that his legs were tangled up in it. However uncomfortable that had to be, he was definitely passed out now, far gone in dreamland.

Smiling, Chi-Chi kept her footsteps as light as possible as she moved over to him. Bending down next to him, she reached out to brush the bangs back from his face. He was so relaxed and open in his sleep. Not much different from how he was when awake, honestly. The little touch must have been just enough to interrupt his dreaming, though, because his eyebrows twitched in protest.

And then his eyes opened, staring up at her. “Chi-?”

“Hey,” she whispered, interrupted. “We slept longer than I thought we would.”

“Hmm...” he hummed, still in the process of waking up, until he shot up to a sitting position, eyes wide. “What time is it?”

She shrugged. “Late afternoon. Early evening.”

His brow furrowed, giving him that lost and confused look. “Chi-Chi, why am I – I need to get home.”

Frowning, Chi-Chi got to her feet. Without a word, she tossed his phone down to him, watching him flounder around in order to catch it. Once he held his phone in steady hands, he looked up to her, so she turned her gaze away and decided to walk to the kitchen. Besides, it was hard not to stare at his bare chest, even now.

He still needed to wake up. His exhaustion from the previous night wasn't such an obvious detail anymore. His eyes had seemed well rested once he snapped awake. All she had to do now was give him time to wake up completely and remember.

And then…

She sighed as she moved into her kitchen, going straight for the tea. Finding a box out and open on the counter just waiting for her. She pressed her lips together. Goku must have used the tea to keep himself awake last night as he waited on her. Well. At least he hadn't gotten into anything else. Tea was simple enough to excuse being left out. If he had tried cooking -

Her stomach growled at the thought of food and she laughed. Cooking didn't sound too appealing right now. A sandwich, though. That was simple. A peanut butter sandwich and a mug of hot tea. Yes. That sounded just about perfect.

Humming to herself, Chi-Chi filled the tea kettle with water and then set it on the stove to heat up. Tea was nice at anytime of the day but wonderful after just waking up. As it heated, she went to the pantry for peanut butter, also snatching the bread. And a knife. Maybe she should make one or two sandwiches for Goku, too. She wasn't sure if he would like the less traditional food, but she hadn't seen him turn down any kind of food yet. Besides, he was probably hungry, too.

“H-hey, Chi-Chi?”

Speaking of Goku...She turned around with a smile, only a little surprised to see him standing in the doorway. He wasn't really looking up at her this time, though. His eyes were focused on the phone he held in his hand. Ah, right. She'd changed his background, hadn't she?

“Yes, Goku?”

When his eyes lifted to her, she had to bite her cheek. He looked so...lost. “Did you mess with my phone?”

She nodded, sparing a glance for the tea kettle. No steam yet. Huh.

“Why?”

She sighed. “Goku...”

“I mean, I don't mind, really,” he said. “I just...I didn't think you'd like that picture. So why?”

With a smile, she tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear and felt the heat from her cheek in the process. “I love the picture, actually.”

“Hah?”

“Goku, I _wanted_ the kiss. Not exactly like _that_ , sure, but,” she met his frown with a smile, feeling silly now that she was well rested enough to think straight. “I was having trouble asking you for one and, well, I told Krillin and then Korin showed up so...”

The realization hit him; she could see it crash through his no longer exhausted mind. “You knew what was in the brownies.”

She nodded.

“And you ate them anyway.”

Another nod.

“Oh man,” he groaned, a hand going to his head. “You should've just told me.”

_I realize that now_ , she wanted to say, but the tea kettle whistle broke her from her intended words. She sprang on the kettle, holding it in one hand as she pulled out two mugs. Then it was just a simple matter of pouring the hot water, setting the tea bags, and turning back to Goku, who was still hanging in the doorway. Watching her, waiting for more of an explanation, looking almost...hurt?

Chi-Chi swallowed something in her throat, felt her heart pounding in her chest. This was where she lost him. This was where the mistakes of last night became too much. This was where -

“Chi-Chi,” he said, breaking her thoughts. “I'm sorry.”

“Sorry?” She gasped, expecting the worst. “For what?”

“For...well...” he frowned, scratching at his head. “I don't care about losing my first kiss to you or anything. Or...any of that other stuff, really, but...I'm pretty sure it's supposed to mean more. And because of how it happened, because I couldn't pull away last night, it didn't mean all that much at all.”

She had to give him that. In fact, after he said those words, she felt the sinking pit in her stomach. The one saying she felt a little sick because of what had happened, even if she mostly blamed herself. That didn't erase what had actually taken place. That didn't erase the fact that they'd jumped way too far ahead in their relationship. And the whole issue of consent...she hadn't been in a condition to really okay it, and he never did want it either. He just gave in.

“Goku.”

“Hm?”

“Why _did_ you give in?”

“Oh, uh,” he laughed a little, probably at himself as he put his phone in his pocket and blushed. “I guess because it was you and, uh, I like making you happy. I mean, if you want something, I want you to have it. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah,” she whispered, turning away to give her shaking hands something to do. Something like making those peanut butter sandwiches. “Of course now you know -”

“Now I know not to give in again. Or, rather, I don't know, Chi-Chi, I should've kept a better eye on you at the party. But if you ate those things on purpose because you wanted some excuse to kiss me...” he drifted off, sighed. “I wish you had just told me.”

She bit her lip and whispered. “I'm sorry.”

His mistake. Her mistake. It didn't matter anymore. They both felt bad. They both apologized. And now she could hear him walking across the kitchen floor. Feel him standing behind her without touching. Knowing him, he was probably hesitating now. Before, he would grab her hand, pick her up, kiss her cheek, all without asking. Now he was hesitating. Oh, she had messed something up but at least -

At least he wasn't gone. Spinning around, Chi-Chi left the food and tea on the counter. Without looking up at him, she wrapped her arms around his middle, buried her face in his chest. He stumbled back a bit, but his hands eventually found her back, returning the hug. Squeezing her tight and then relaxing just enough.

His words whispered into the air above her. “I'm glad you're not mad.”

“I'm glad you didn't leave.”

“Hey, I'll never leave you,” he muttered. “Not when you need me. I still really, _really_ like you, Chi-Chi.”

She smiled, feeling her eyes filling with tears. “And I still really like you, Goku, so -”

“So you'll still be my girlfriend?”

Silence echoed in her kitchen. A small spark of confused, shocked silence. And then...And then she laughed. Laughed until tears fell down her cheeks. Laughed as she held onto him and refused to let go. His timing would never make sense to her. Somehow he still managed to surprise her. She was pretty sure this wasn't supposed to be the time for such a question. By all the things she'd heard, they should be fighting, throwing angry words and blame around.

Instead...they'd talked it over, taken on blame for their own mistakes, apologized, and moved on.

Of course she said yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny how character knowledge and perspective can change a scene, huh? 
> 
> I feel a need to say something because I don't know the ages of my readers and I don't know what sort of life experiences anyone has, and I can see ways that these scenes can be taken to mean different things or to lead people into problems. 
> 
> So. 
> 
> Take this as you will, but rest assured we have both character perspectives here. I write in what I've seen called "deep-POV" for a third-person pov - we get deep into the character thoughts so we know what they're thinking even though it's not first-person-pov. This isn't true for real life. Don't let anything here cloud your judgment. You never know what the other person is thinking in a situation like this; all you have is trust and sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it isn't. (ie: I see Goku as someone worth forgiving because of how he reacted after the fact, and Chi-Chi makes a point of that, but there are a lot of sleazy people out there just as there are people who think like Goku and get caught up in a bad situation sometimes). Remember that. Stay safe.
> 
> (Be careful at parties, kids. Know what you're getting into, be aware that things can nose-dive out of control very very quickly, and keep tabs on what you eat and drink. Okay. That's it for your PSA)


	10. Part 9: I Called You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cute idea gets the couple stuck in after school detention, and the result leaves them walking to Chi-Chi's apartment later than normal.

 

~!~

Weeks passed. The tournament grew closer. Her relationship with Goku grew tighter. She still had a lot to prepare for – the upcoming matches, Goku's tutoring sessions, her own studies – but for now life was good. Things were under control and at a pace she could handle.

For now, Chi-Chi stood outside the school gym brushing her hair with her fingers and watching the rain from the safety of the hanging eaves. The crisp smell of rain always left a smile on her face, so long as she was under cover. Spring rains especially reminded her of her mountain home, but it was still pleasant here.

Since it was early, several minutes to go before the first bell, there weren't many students crowding into the school yet. Chi-Chi liked being here early in order to practice in the gym before anyone else could spot her. And she also liked being early because then she got to watch her _boyfriend_ ride into the school entrance courtyard on his bike.

The thought of Goku actually being her boyfriend now still made her giddy. Her face heated and she smiled, bringing a hand away from her hair to rest on her warm cheek. Who would have thought that one crazy party experience, a mistake, would have brought them closer together? She wanted to say, to believe, that they had something special. If they were able to sit and talk about a problem and so easily…

Well, she wasn't so lost in infatuation to believe their high school romance could actually mean more. Even if it _felt_ real. Even if it _felt_ like love. She wasn't so naive as to jump to those words so fast, no matter how much her heart insisted.

Goku was so sweet and so perfect, it was hard to think she'd ever want someone else. Maybe they could be the couple that stayed together forever. Her fairytale romance come to life. The high school sweethearts that went on to marriage and family and…

Oh, she was daydreaming too far ahead again! But the bliss was too sweet. She didn't want to ever lose touch with this feeling. When they were together, she could barely breathe from the happiness. And yet being apart like this made her heart ache just as much.

If only he would…

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when she saw him riding his way to the bike rack. Riding his bike. In the pouring rain. Without any sort of rain coat or protection of any kind.

Snatching her umbrella, Chi-Chi carefully rushed over to the bike rack. She didn't want to slip on the wet concrete, but she was a woman on a mission. A handful of purposeful steps later and she was standing beside him as he finished locking his bike.

“Goku!” She snapped. “What are you doing?”

He yelped and turned quickly, softening only a little when he faced her. “Oh, hi, Chi-Chi. Rain came down kinda suddenly, didn't it?”

True. The rain had started up after she'd already gotten to school earlier this morning. But she'd seen the weather forecast and had known to be prepared. Even if he lived far out in the country, he still should have known better than to come without _anything_.

“You're sopping wet,” she said before grabbing a fistful of his uniform jacket to tug him down enough to put the umbrella over both of them. “Here. Get under my umbrella at least. Might as well keep it from getting any worse.”

“Heh. Okay, Chi-Chi,” he said. “Whatever you want.”

Dropping her hold on his jacket, she instead grabbed his hand and tugged him along with her to get them both out of the rain. He really was soaked. How could he expect to make it through school like that? Had this happened before? Why didn't he seem to care at all?

Even once they were both under the hanging eaves outside the gym, there was still the problem of him being soaked. The new uniform she had bought for him – practically ruined by the rain! If his sheepish apologetic smile wasn't so cute, she might have actually been mad. Or at least upset.

As it was, she just wanted to get him dry. He couldn't possibly be comfortable in all that, could he? His eyes seemed distracted by something out in the rainstorm, and she frowned when she looked and couldn't figure out what was grabbing his attention.

Squeezing his hand with a squelching sound of water in between them, Chi-Chi brought his eyes back to her. “Hey, let's go inside. I know a great way to dry you off quickly. So you, uh, don't have to track water everywhere.”

His smile lit up the dreary morning. Of course. “All right. Yeah! Thanks, Chi-Chi.”

Smiling back at him, Chi-Chi handed the umbrella off to him and then made her way into the gym. Pushing through the larger outside door, she stepped across the gym floor toward her destination. Goku hummed behind her as she practically pulled him along, but he didn't seem to mind. She was sure he would have said something if he didn't like the way she held his hand. Besides, he _had_ been the one to hold _her_ hand first. Oh, that felt like so long ago now.

“Hey, Chi-Chi, isn't this the girl's restroom?”

Tugging him past the locker room entrance, around the corner, she smiled. “Not just the restroom. It has showers and -”

“Chi-Chi,” he groaned and she turned to see him slightly red in the face. “I'm not supposed to be in here.”

“Oh, it's all right, Goku,” she said, gently leading him to one of the wooden benches near the wall. “I'm the only girl here.”

“Yeah, but -”

“Hush,” she said, hands going to his shoulders to push him to sit down. “It's early enough that no one else is gonna come in. I'm the only girl in here before school, usually.”

“Oh.”

Smiling, she rubbed her hands across his shoulders, feeling the gathered water soaked into his jacket. He didn't seem to have a problem sitting on the bench, but his eyes kept flicking over to the locker room entrance, as if he was worried some girl might walk in at any moment. She had to bite her lip. He looked so cute sitting there with his arms loosely resting on his legs, with that light blush in his cheeks, with his eyes glancing around everywhere as if he was trying hard not to look at anything. As if the girl's locker room was all that different from the boy's.

“Goku,” she said, hands moving up to cup his face. “Seriously. Relax. No one else is gonna come in here. We're alone.”

At the statement of being alone, his eyes jerked to hers. Just in time for her to catch him in a quick kiss. She planted her lips to his, stroking her fingers over his cheeks before pulling back to see him much more flushed in the face than earlier.

Chi-Chi giggled and pulled away. “Sit tight. I'll be right back.”

Goku didn't voice a response, simply giving her a hum and a nod, though his eyes were entirely focused on her now. Ever since that night after the party, kissing him had become much more...acceptable. Of course. They were boyfriend and girlfriend now. She was allowed. Though it seemed to stun him every time. She _had_ asked him to refrain from anything in public, never being one to like the thought of any public displays of affection, so any little moment they were alone became a window of opportunity.

With a soft smile, Chi-Chi turned away from his gaze and walked through the locker room to find a very specific locker. Hers. With her very special martial arts uniform, given to her from her father. She glanced over her shoulder, glad to see that Goku wouldn't be able to notice from this angle. Good. She didn't want him to know. Martial arts was _his_ interest. She wanted to be his cute and innocent perfectly sweet girlfriend, not the fiery fighter deep inside. He was the guy. He was supposed to be the strong protector. Having a girlfriend that was into martial arts – and good enough to join a tournament no less – wouldn't be attractive. It wouldn't fit the ideal set up for a relationship. She _couldn't_ let him know.

Taking a breath, Chi-Chi pushed it all aside and instead focused on what she was in here for in the first place. Towel, check. And a hairdryer. Well, it would help dry him and his clothes off at least. Anything to keep him from dripping water everywhere.

Honestly, how could he stand to be so absolutely drenched?

Closing the locker and walking back to Goku, she met his curious eyes. He sent a glance to the hairdryer especially before staring back at her with his eyebrow raised. She could practically feel the question coming from him right now.

Clicking her tongue between her teeth, Chi-Chi interrupted him before he could speak and tossed the towel at his face. “Here. Dry off with that, but go ahead and take your jacket and shirt off, too.”

“H-huh?” Goku spluttered, pulling the towel down his face. “Take off my – you want me to take my clothes off?”

She shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about it, trying to ignore the heat in her face as she started searching for a power outlet in the nearby wall. “It'll be easier to dry that way. You're _really_ soaked, Goku.”

“Yeah, but, Chi-Chi -”

She huffed, finally finding that outlet and turning back to him with the hairdryer in hand. “Don't fuss. If you hurry, we'll have it all dry before the first bell rings.”

“Yeah, but,” he whined again, though he'd set the towel in his hair so he could slide out of his jacket. “I'm not dumb, Chi-Chi. If someone sees me without my clothes on in the girl's restroom, I'll get in trouble.”

Eyes watching him strip, she had to flush at the words he spoke at the same time. Didn't people like to sneak into bathrooms just so they could...well...they weren't going there. She was just trying to get his clothes dry before he had to sit at a desk for a few hours. It wasn't like she -

Her thoughts froze as his shirt came off. His chest and arms exposed, bringing heat to her face as she found herself unable to look away. And then he reached for his pants.

“Ah, Goku, wait,” she said, snapping herself out of the day dreams. “I didn't say -”

“I need to get dry, don't I?” He countered, flashing a grin. “If you're so sure no one's gonna come in here, then it won't hurt. I'm kind of already tired of sitting in them, actually.”

“Oh,” she muttered. “F-fine then.”

As Goku stripped himself of all of his clothes – minus his boxers at least – Chi-Chi brought everything into a pile and turned on the hairdryer. It was the best option she had, and though his clothes would still be damp when she handed them back, it was better than the alternative. Maybe this could help prevent him from getting sick, too. He even took off his shoes and socks for her to dry, flashing a grin as she tried to position her face _just so_ to allow her hair to shield her eyes from the view.

“Hey, Chi-Chi,” he said over the sound of the hairdryer. “Why'd you have all this stuff in here anyway? This is the gym restroom and, uh, lockers and stuff. I thought only athletes could use these.”

Thankful for the hairdryer noise drowning out her groan, Chi-Chi took a breath and tried to think of an evasive answer. She hadn't expected Goku to question her. Not so quickly at least. Well, actually, she hadn't thought this could give her away. She'd been a little focused on getting him dry. Less worried about him finding out her big secret.

“Oh, well I -”

The scream was a blessing in disguise. Both Chi-Chi and Goku swerved attention to the locker room entrance, seeing a poor, confused first-year student standing there with wide eyes. Before either of them could offer an explanation, she was gone, no doubt to find a teacher and report them.

Turning a flushed face to her boyfriend, Chi-Chi mouthed. “Sorry.”

Goku turned eyes to her and then laughed. “It's all right. At least this way we're in trouble together.”

Oh. Right. They'd been caught together. Even if Goku was the one practically naked in a girl's locker room, she had been right there with him. Adding to a false illusion.

“Well,” she said. “At least your clothes are dry now.”

His grin made it all worth it.

~!~

Needless to say, they both earned a spot in detention for their “little stunt.” No amount of explaining the situation could get them out of it, either. Admitting to being a couple certainly didn't help, but neither one of them were going to lie so, well, here they were.

To tell the truth, it wasn't the end of the world or anything. Chi-Chi had never been in detention before. She was the good girl, the quiet one, the teacher's pet, the smart one, the rule follower. But, well, Goku wasn't exactly the troublemaker type either. He wasn't perfect, but he'd admitted to being in detention a few times, mostly thanks to his friends.

Just like now. Here he was, thanks to _her_. As innocent as the reasoning had been, it was still her fault.

Not that he seemed to care. She'd even taken the opportunity to slide extra math problems on his desk for him to work through. After all, the best way to pass time in detention was to study more, right? Of course, he gave a groan and a look, but she waved him off, whispered that she had faith he could finish everything in time, and then went back to her own work.

Finals were coming up. Not anytime soon. There were a few spring events to enjoy first, like the martial arts tournament. But there was nothing wrong with studying early, especially if she was going to be stuck in this room for an extra hour. Besides, she'd normally be taking this time to tutor Goku anyway.

A glance over at him and she smiled. He was hard at work on the problems she'd handed him, hunched over his desk, pencil flying across the page. He really wasn't as dumb or as slow as people liked to think. He just had a hard time remembering everything for test time, like his brain could only handle so much information at once and he was constantly thinking of other things or -

“Ms. Mao,” said the presiding teacher from the desk at the front of the room. “No wandering eyes.”

Jerking out of her daydreams, Chi-Chi flushed a little as she turned her attention back to her own desk and her own work. “S-Sorry.”

Now she could feel the eyes on her and a quick glance revealed a certain dark-haired, dark-eyed handsome _boyfriend_ smiling at her. Oh, he knew what she'd been caught doing and that just made her flush more.

_Focus, Chi-Chi. Only a few more minutes left._

Thankfully, there were no more incidents, as small as that one had been. She could do without more embarrassment. So when time was called, Chi-Chi joined her long sigh to the multitude of others in the room, packing up her books along with everyone else. Getting out of her chair, she turned to where Goku had been sitting, expecting to see him ready to jump out of his own seat.

Only to see him fast asleep, head buried in his arms on his desk.

How long had he been asleep? She could have sworn the detention rules said something about not sleeping. This was supposed to be a punishment, after all.

With a soft sigh, she stepped over to the side of his desk and set a gentle hand on his back.

“Goku.”

A few gentle rubs and he sat up, yawning loudly and blinking at her with sleepy eyes. “Hm? Chi-Chi?”

Setting one hand on her hip, Chi-Chi put her book satchel on his desk and then reached for the paper she had given him at the start of detention. “Goku, honestly, you should've been using this time to -”

She cut her own words off, eyes flashing across the paper of math problems. Everything was filled out. _Everything_. And not just answered either. They were all correct. Well, she'd have to take a bit longer than a glance to be sure, but it looked like – so far – that he had answered every single problem with the right response.

“Goku -”

“What? Did I mess something up?”

Shaking her head, Chi-Chi murmured. “No, they're all – they're all right, I think.”

He smiled, standing up to grab his own bag and then lean over to leave a warm kiss on her cheek. “You're a good teacher, Chi-Chi.”

“I -” _No,_ she wanted to say. _No, you just struggle to pay attention in class or on tests but you're actually not dumb. Just -_ “I guess.”

His hand found hers. “Come on. It's later than normal, but I still need to walk you home.”

Looking up at his grin, she couldn't help but smile back. “Yeah. It's stopped raining, too.”

“That's good,” he said. “It really wasn't fun riding in the rain.”

At his simple little comment, Chi-Chi laughed. This whole predicament could have been avoided if he'd just worn a rain coat or something in the first place. Shaking her head, she stuffed the page of math problems in her bag to look through later and then reached out for his hand again so she could tug him down enough to land a kiss on his cheek. He flushed and opened his mouth to speak, only to have the presiding teacher clear his throat and shoo them both out of the classroom.

Needless to say, they both left the school building that day with flushed faces.

~!~

They talked about school as they walked down the streets. Goku had his hands on his bike, pushing it along beside him as they stepped through the small crowd of students walking home. Chi-Chi clasped her hands behind her, enjoying the cool breezes when they came, as the air was still thick and mildly humid from the rain. Her bag was over her shoulder, the satchel part bumping against her knees as she practically skipped down the street. Goku's bag was being held in one of his hands, draped over the bike handlebars in case he decided to drop it for whatever reason. Her umbrella was in her own hands, but the sky was clear now so there was no real point to open it.

When she mentioned how Krillin couldn't seem to stop texting her, asking what they were in detention for, Goku laughed. He told her how Krillin had done the same to her. When he said he hadn't given away the reason, Chi-Chi smiled. Seemed like they were on the same page after all.

As the weeks went by, Goku picked up on more of the little things about her. Her preferences. Her likes and dislikes. Where she drew the line. She wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose or if he was just learning as they grew closer.

And they were definitely growing closer.

It made her happy. Talking about the upcoming school spring festival, glossing over the martial arts tournament, muttering about the dreaded finals week. Talking with him at all – spending _time_ with him – made her happy. It was such a simple thing and she treasured every moment.

As they neared her apartment, she noticed something different in his mannerisms, though. His eyes were unfocused, wandering around instead of caught completely on her. Not that she needed his full attention all the time. Just that it felt strange to suddenly have him looking elsewhere when she was talking.

Such a minor thing. She shouldn't let it bother her.

Still, when Goku dropped her off at her front door, he almost forgot to say goodbye and she had to huff and click her tongue to get his attention. As soon as he focused back on her, though, all minor complaints drifted away as he apologized for being distracted. Though he didn't take the time to explain himself, she accepted what he did give her, especially considering he bent down to leave a little kiss on her lips. (He liked surprising her with kisses when they were alone – and she liked doing the same, if she was honest).

After that, he left her for the day, smiling wide even as he waved goodbye and hopped on his bike to start his long ride home. Chi-Chi watched him go with a sigh and then turned around to enter her apartment. A strange sound – a throat clearing nearby – made her pause and narrow her eyes, but when she glanced around she saw nothing and no one. So she shrugged it off as a weird imagination moment and went inside. Probably one of the apartment neighbors anyway.

Sliding out of her shoes, Chi-Chi walked into her apartment, setting her school bag and umbrella against a wall in the main room. She'd get to homework and studies later. First, she'd get dinner started. She wanted something that would take a little time and had some sustenance. Like beef stew. Or – well – the stew that was a nice mix of traditional and modern recipes. Something her father used to make all the time.

With a hum and skip in her step, Chi-Chi moved into the kitchen, prepping the stove before pulling out ingredients and the perfect sized pots. While it was cooking, she could work on a few routines. Clear the main room and -

A small sound made her pause as she set a collection of vegetables on the counter. Another strange sound. This one sounded like scratching on her window. Chi-Chi frowned. Was it a cat? She wasn't aware there were any pets in the area, but she supposed it was the most likely scenario. Or maybe any wild animal of any kind.

With a shrug, she pulled out a knife to start cutting vegetables. Vegetables. Beef. Noodles. Simple recipe and something decently fulfilling, too. She could get some martial arts practice in and finish her homework without any -

The next sound made her freeze, a chill running up her spine. A crash. A shattering. Broken glass. Dropping the knife to the counter, she rushed out of the kitchen and felt her eyes widen at the sight. The curtains were rustling in the outside air. Because she hadn't heard the sound of just any broken glass, but a broken _window_.

Immediately, her body fell into a defensive stance, her eyes narrowed, flicking around the room for signs to explain -

She gasped when she saw the brick, running over and shaking as she picked it up. Who would do such a thing? Had it been an accident? The damage was going to be a pain to fix, but she was more worried about -

Well, there _was_ a paper crudely taped to the brick, on which was written: _We Found You_

For a moment in time, her breath caught in her throat and she dropped the brick, crawling to her bag, pulling out her cell phone. Her first instinct was to call Goku. After all, this threat was because of him, right? The whole issue they'd been avoiding for almost half a year now. Tien's gang. Who else could it be?

“Hello?”

Hearing his voice helped her to breathe again. “Goku! I -”

But then she hesitated. What was she doing? Panicking over a brick in her apartment? Chi-Chi was tough, strong, a fighter. She could handle herself. She was no damsel in distress, needing to call her boyfriend for any or every little thing.

“Chi-Chi?” His voice sounded worried. “Something wrong?”

She didn't need him to rush back and protect her. She could do this herself. But – _but_ – the stories of what had happened to Yamcha flooded her mind. Hospitalized because of Tien's gang. Yamcha was no push over either. He was a fighter. He was going to be in the tournament, too. She couldn't get a big head and assume she'd be fine without help. Asking for help didn't make her weak. It meant she could reach out and strengthen her defense. She may be fine on her own.

But she was stronger with Goku beside her.

“Goku,” she said into the phone. “I need you here.”

“Huh?”

“They – Tien's gang -” she gulped. “I think they know where I live now.”

At first there was silence. Then the sound of her own heart beating. The gasp of her breath as she tried to keep her calm. The rush of wind through her open window. Then Goku's voice, hard, deep, serious, yet _comforting_ in one simple phrase.

“I'm on my way.”


	11. Part 10: I Watched Over You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku heads to Chi-Chi's apartment because of the recent threat.

 

 

~!~

When the call came, he had been on the dirt path in the woods. Already past the city limits. His bike tires rolled in the dirt as he rocked his body back and forth while talking to Chi-Chi. Trying to figure out why she was so worried.

Then she said something to make his heart stop, his body freeze and tense. _“I think they know where I live now.”_

The words echoed in his mind as he thought of Yamcha. Of Yamcha in the hospital. Beaten up badly. New scars on his face from the treatment of Tien's gang. And then he thought of Chi-Chi in the same predicament and a growl bubbled up quietly from the back of his throat.

“I'm on my way.”

He could hear her sigh of relief, but he was too busy closing his phone, setting it back in his pocket, and then turning his bike around. There was no point to continue talking to her on the phone. He had to get to her apartment as fast as possible.

Hands gripping tight to the bike's handlebars, he set his course and pushed the pedals as fast as he could without breaking anything. Most of the time, he rode his bike in a casual manner. Slow and steady. Taking in the sights. Daydreaming a little on the way.

But this time, Goku _raced_ his way back into town. Though his mind still wandered to Chi-Chi. She had sounded distressed – scared. He never thought he'd hear her voice so _panicked_ – and yet she wasn't hysterical. Chi-Chi was strong. He knew that. Of _course_ he knew that; it was an aspect about her that he felt made her special. Only, now she had called him directly to ask for help and he was beginning to wonder what could have caused her to freak out enough.

As his bike carried him through the city, Goku thought back on the day. Tien's gang. He'd had a feeling that someone was trailing him. Ever since the morning. He'd ridden around in the rain trying to shake the feeling. Only to end up soaked and cold when he did arrive at school. Soaked enough for Chi-Chi to pull him in the girl's bathroom to force him to dry off.

So it was his fault they were in trouble. His fault they were later than normal when they left the school grounds that day.

He gasped at the thought, jerking his bike suddenly and having to take a moment to grab control again and come to a stop. With a heavy breath, he set his feet on the pavement of the sidewalk, ignoring the grumbling of people passing. Some comments about him being a crazy teenager. Almost running into a building like that…

Goku shook his head, took a breath, and set his course again. He had to get to Chi-Chi. Now. His legs were aching, his knuckles white because of how hard he gripped the handlebars, and that sick feeling was in his stomach again, eating him up with worry for her. He shouldn't have left her. His instincts had been screaming at him ever since they left the school campus.

Brushing off those feelings had been a bad decision.

Thankfully, it didn't take too much longer to get to Chi-Chi's apartment. He slid up to her front door, getting that itch on the back of his neck as he climbed off his bike. Narrowing his eyes, Goku held onto his bike with one hand and glanced around the area. Hiding in the shadows somewhere. There had to be – he could almost _feel_ a presence over here.

Upstairs? On a staircase? The nearby roof or a balcony? Nothing looked amiss anywhere but he still had that _itch._ The same one he'd had almost all day.

Gripping his bike handlebar, he growled under his breath. “Why don't you just come out and fight me?”

_Stop terrorizing my girlfriend._

After one last look around the area, Goku reached up to knock on the door. “Chi-Chi? You okay?”

A thought entered his brain and his hand hovered at the door for a moment. What if Chi-Chi wasn't here? What if she'd had her place ransacked? What if they'd taken her elsewhere? What if -?

The door flew open and arms encircled him, a head burying against his chest, a familiar flowery scent telling him everything was fine. “Oh, Goku, I'm glad you came back.”

He felt his body relax, letting out a breath in a rush. She was fine. Chi-Chi was perfectly fine. Everything was going to be okay. This wasn't the repeat of Yamcha. He hadn't messed up and missed the signs again. It was all _okay_.

“Hey, Chi-Chi,” he said, offering a smile as she looked up at him. “We should go inside.”

She laughed a little, stepping back. “Oh, right. Easier to guard from inside.”

“Uhm,” he closed his eyes for a second, giving that a decent thought before shaking his head. “Not really the reason I was going for. Actually, I kinda wanna take a look around and -”

“Goku,” her voice whispered, a hand snatching his. “Come inside with me.”

Opening his eyes, he met her gaze and then grimaced slightly. Her usual insistent fire was present, demanding he listen to her. The itch was still there, though, and he lifted his other hand to the back of his neck in an effort to rub away the feeling of being watched. It wasn't going away, but Chi-Chi wanted -

He bit the inside of his cheek and gave a small nod. “Yeah, okay. Whatever you want, Chi-Chi.”

He _had_ been the one to say they needed to go inside in the first place. He'd just had a second thought about it, but oh well. Surely, he'd figure out a way to watch over her from inside without having to make a lap around the entire building. Or the complex for that matter. He wanted to look _everywhere_ because he could still feel that itch trying to warn him about something.

Goku almost let her pull him inside, but at the last second remembered his bike, and together they moved it into her front entryway. Just like how it had sat the night of the party. As he set the bike against the inside wall, as she closed the door, they met eyes for a moment and traded awkward smiles, both no doubt remembering the night that had pushed their relationship into a whole new direction.

“I'll, uhm,” Chi-Chi murmured, walking past him. “I'll finish the stew I was making.”

Almost immediately, his thoughts focused on food, and after she passed he was able to smell the scents of a stew wafting through the apartment. His stomach growled and he licked his lips. “Smells good, Chi-Chi. What're you making exactly?”

“It's a special recipe,” she called, already on her way to the kitchen. “Mixes both traditional and modern ideas to create something different. I'm sure you'll like it.”

Goku smiled, moving his way into her living room area, not even bothering to follow her into the kitchen. “I like everything you've made for me.”

Chi-Chi didn't respond. Probably because she hadn't heard. But that was okay. His eyes had found something else. A brick sitting on her little table, a brick with a paper attached. Goku tensed a little as he walked over to pick it up and read what it said, immediately feeling the growl bubbling up again from the depths of his throat. They really had been trailing them today. And this was a real threat.

It took everything in his control to set the brick down nicely. He wanted to throw it, but that would be counter productive, and he knew that. He had enough training to know how to control his emotions. As much as he wanted to beat someone up for daring to threaten Chi-Chi, the best he could do right now was hang tight and keep an eye out. He'd take her home with him tomorrow, and try his best to convince her not to stay alone after that, because he was sure she'd insist that she was fine once the initial scare wore down.

Just like before.

Well, it had worked out before, but _last time_ she'd been directly threatened, he'd taken her to his house and kept the gang from knowing where Chi-Chi lived. Now they knew where she lived, and they knew she lived alone. No wonder she was uneasy. No wonder she had called him.

Goku didn't like thinking of her being scared. He wanted her to feel safe. To be happy. To not have to worry about anything serious like this. But what could he do?

With a groan, he moved to the window, wanting to take a look outside and see if he could figure out where that _itch_ was coming from – where that sense of being watched stemmed from. He didn't even glance outside before noticing the hole in the window, and then stepping back to realize that crushing sound was him stepping on glass. Oh. Well. The brick had to come flying from somewhere. He guessed he should be happy it hadn't hurt Chi-Chi on its way in, but it still made his blood boil to think she _could_ have been hurt. To think she had been _threatened_ – that someone actually _did_ want to hurt her.

Shaking his head, Goku pushed the frustration away, and quickly walked over to the kitchen, hardly taking in the scent of food, the stomach growl easy to ignore for once. “Hey, Chi-Chi, do you have anything I can use to board up your window?”

“Huh?” She questioned, spinning from the stove to blink at him, her eyes wide but still so breathtaking. “Board the window?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Considering we're kinda close to the sea, you probably have everything you'd need and...”

He drifted off, unsure if he was making sense. His grandfather always boarded up the windows and stuff whenever there was a big storm coming through. They hadn't really hit yet this year, but if Chi-Chi had transferred over from a mountain town then she probably didn't know to -

“Oh!” Chi-Chi interrupted. “Yeah, in the hallway closet.”

With a smile, Goku nodded and turned, only to be stopped by a tug on his jacket. He turned back and blinked, eyes wide to see that she had moved so quickly. “Huh? Chi-”

Hands tugged him down and her mouth pressed over his, a tongue sliding in and catching him unawares. It was like a game between them, in a way. Who could surprise the other more often. He thought he'd been winning, but now – he wasn't so sure. She was pretty good at catching him mid-word like that, and especially in the middle of saying her name. If she wasn't careful, he was going to start calling her that because of how many times she interrupted him and -

Unlike most times, her kiss didn't stop. In fact, she pressed in harder, and Goku felt his eyes close as Chi-Chi pushed herself in closer to him. His arm came up to wrap around her, fingers brushing through her hair. He tried to pull back, but she kept on, insisting on more, clenching her hands into his jacket and tugging him down deeper if he gave any hint of pulling away.

When he groaned from the back of his throat, Chi-Chi finally stopped the kiss, panting a little as she looked up to him. Her face was flushed, but her eyes were shining. Whatever the reason, it had made her happy, and her shoulders held less tension when he rubbed them, too.

“Sorry,” she murmured. “I needed that.”

“That's fine.” Goku smiled, leaning in to leave a peck of a kiss on her forehead before straightening up. “I think I needed it, too.”

~!~

After dinner had been served and the window boarded up (both for protection purposes and to fix the hole), Goku found himself in the kitchen alone. His jacket was off, his school shirt unbuttoned, but his face hovered over the steam of the stew. Or whatever Chi-Chi called it. A great mix of recipes that had all kinds of perfect flavors for his tongue – except the carrots. He shoved the orange vegetable slices off to the side, of course, but everything else was perfect.

Like he'd told her already, Goku loved the food Chi-Chi cooked whenever they ended up staying together. Anything she made for him was delicious, and he _always_ needed a second or third helping.

Like now. He spooned the stew and noodles into his third bowl, blinking at the warm steam rising into his face. The smell alone made his mouth water, even though his stomach was quiet on the matter, having been mostly satisfied by now.

Shoving the food into his mouth, Goku turned from the stove, bowl in hand, and took a few steps to hover in the kitchen doorway. Looking across the apartment's main room, he did a quick check of the boarded window and smiled a little to see nothing else out of place. The sense of being watched was still there, the itch at the back of his neck, the presence at the edge of his awareness. It bothered him, but at least he knew Chi-Chi was safe. That was all that mattered.

Speaking of Chi-Chi -

His eyes focused on the center of the room and he froze at what he saw. Fork halfway to his mouth. Gulping back his shock – or whatever feeling that was, so similar to when he'd seen her defend herself in that restaurant. Not only similar but -

He blinked and held his breath as he watched her move. Chi-Chi had pushed back the furniture to the walls, pulled out a rug, and now she was dancing around the room. Well, not literally dancing. More like flowing through a set of _kata_ , striking martial arts stances as her arms, legs, and body glided from one pose to the next in an almost effortless sequence. Her school skirt twirled around her legs and Goku had to bite the inside of his cheek and remind himself to hang onto his bowl and fork as he watched her powerful legs sliding through the air. He snapped his gaze to her shoulders, watching her hair bounce in its loose ponytail.

And then she turned and he caught her eyes. So focused. Determined. Strong. He gulped again as he saw her with her attention completely taken by her workout. Her breathing, nice and even, too. Oh man, seeing her in a dress was one thing but this -

“Goku!”

Blinking out of his daze, he tilted his head at her widening eyes. “Hm? What's wrong?”

“You – uh – I thought you were -” Chi-Chi stuttered, straightening up, putting some of her hair behind her ear. “Weren't you going to put the food up for me?”

“Oh!” Goku said, remembering what he'd told her before the smell of food distracted him. “Yeah, I kinda got another bowl instead. It's really good, Chi-Chi.”

She hummed a little in response. Her face was red, her hands going behind her back as she struck a pose that was more like the demure girls from school. Like she was trying to fit a role. Hiding the fire within that he actually found more attractive.

“Uh, Chi-Chi?” He asked, stepping forward into the room. “Do you have an actual _gi_ or something that would be better for your work out? I liked watching you, but if you're going to do it in that outfit -”

Her eyes shot up to his. “You liked watching that?”

“Yeah,” he nodded and then grinned. “I already know you're strong and stuff. I still remember how you pushed back Tien's gang that one time. I didn't realize you actually, uh, practiced anything at home, though.”

“Practice,” she murmured, glancing away from him. “Actually I really _do_ need to practice more because of the tournament...”

Goku blinked, standing two steps away from her, placing a forkful of food in his mouth. “Hm? What about the tournament?”

“Oh! Uhm -”

Without actually answering, Chi-Chi groaned, hid her face for a moment, and then stepped away. More than that. She _rushed_ out of the room. Flew back to her bedroom and then slammed the door.

Which made Goku wince and stare off toward her bedroom with a frown. “Did I say something wrong?”

Considering no one was there to answer him, he sighed into the empty room and then stuffed more noodle-stew into his mouth. He couldn't figure out what he could have said, or why she would freak out like that. He thought she had looked amazing. It got him excited to see her moving like that. A part of him kind of wanted to spar with her now, but he wasn't sure _she_ would be okay with it, after running away and all. And then there was the issue of accidentally hurting or hitting her.

Still, he'd love the chance, especially after seeing how she moved. Goku closed his eyes and hummed, trying to imagine her gliding through her stances. So different from everything he'd been taught and yet still smooth and nice and hopefully effective. He groaned, sucking in more noodles, as he felt his body heat just at the image of her fighting. He _really_ wanted to see it now. Not just because he was curious to see what she was capable of, but also because -

“Goku?” Chi-Chi called, a door squeaking open to turn his attention. “You sure this is all right?”

His eyes instantly roamed across her body as she stepped out, taking in the sight of her martial arts uniform. And something in his memory clicked. Months ago, he'd snuck into the gym after school in order to catch a glimpse of Krillin and Yamcha fighting. And he'd seen her. In _this_ outfit.

Back then, he'd found it curious to see Chi-Chi in the gym talking to Master Roshi, wearing a blue and red dress that he now understood to be her own style of martial arts uniform. Now he _really_ understood it all. She'd been practicing her skills back then, too, planning and preparing to not only _go_ to the tournament, but to _enter_.

“Oh,” he whispered, gulping back something as she walked closer. “So you're – you're actually going to fight at the tournament?”

Chi-Chi glanced to the side, nodded. “Yeah. You're not mad are you?”

He blinked, taken aback. “Huh? No, why would I be mad?”

“Well, because you can't fight since your grades didn't come up in time. I tried to help, but -”

“Hey, no, don't worry about that,” he laughed. “I don't even care. My grades are fine now, even if they weren't up in time for me to register for the tournament. But, no, I'm not mad. Especially not if you're going to get to fight in it. That's all the more exciting! I can't wait to see you!”

Large dark eyes stared up at him, blinked. Oh, she was close but not touching and he kinda wanted to. The air between them felt thick, and his arms tingled as if with electricity. He wanted to hold her. Hug her. Kiss -

“Chi-Chi?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I kiss you?”

He wasn't sure why he asked. Maybe because she looked so unsure, so taken aback, so worried about something or other. Goku didn't want to startle her, but he wanted her to know – to _feel_ – his excitement about this. He didn't even care that she had kept it a secret this whole time. He just wanted her to know how impressed and _amazed_ he was that she would even be _into_ martial arts, much less _actually competing_.

“Can you -” Chi-Chi blinked, then smiled, wide eyes softening. “Yeah, you can, but you have to put the food away.”

With a wide grin, Goku gave a quick nod. “Okay.”

Almost instantly, his free hand moved to her chin, tilting her face up for easier access. Her lips parted, words about to be spoken, but he leaned in and swallowed them. Although his other hand still held his now empty bowl, he wrapped his arm around her as best he could, feeling her hair and the fabric of her special dress against his skin.

She gasped against him and he pressed in harder, toying with her tongue against his own, releasing a content sound. Her hands roamed his chest, then grabbed at his open shirt to pull him in harder, deeper, and she sighed against him as they released, almost as if she was relieving herself of tension just like earlier.

“So, Goku -”

“Chi-Chi,” he interrupted, hand on her shoulder, playing with a few strands of her hair, eyes trained on hers. “I -”

“You what?”

Words caught in his throat. For what felt like the first time in his life, he held back what he really wanted to say. _Love_ wasn't something he understood and as a kid in high school, he wasn't expected to, he couldn't _possibly_ understand such a feeling at his age. But whenever he looked at her, whenever she looked at him. Whenever he thought of all she had done for him, and all she was capable of doing – not just for him, but for herself. Chi-Chi was stunning. And he -

_I think I love you._

“Goku?”

He sighed, gave a smile, squeezed the soft flesh of her upper arm. “I just really like you, Chi. You know that, right?”

“Yeah,” she said, eyes shining as she smiled back. “I know.”


	12. Part 11: I Let You Lead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi and Goku spar a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendly warning: Sexual content

 

 

~!~

_Shoes slid across bare earth, kicking grass up into the air. Chi-Chi practically flew over the ground as she rushed forward. Swinging her strong leg high and fast, aiming for a kick to his head._

_She wasn't worried about actually striking him. Even if she did hit him, Goku could probably take the blow with a minor complaint and a laugh, like he had every other attack she'd thrown at him. As expected, he ducked back and under her high roundhouse kick. Chi-Chi kept her face impassive as she quickly spun through the kick to aim another one for his lower body, pushing him back even further. Though he did yelp as he jumped over her swinging leg this time._

_Keeping her momentum, Chi-Chi jumped with the new intent to kick his open body out of the air. To her shock, Goku's eyes narrowed, his arm came up to block her shoe this time as his own feet landed on the ground. A hand then grabbed her leg and before she could blink she was being tossed aside._

_When she hit the ground, she took her angle and force into consideration in order to roll. Spring up to her feet. Drop into a stance. Lock her eyes on his as Goku fell into his own ready position._

“ _Nice roll,” he said._

_She offered a smirk of a smile. “Thanks.”_

_The animals of the nighttime watched their spar with occasional noise as if commentating. From the woods, a coyote yipped. From the nearby lake, a frog croaked. Birds, crickets, insects adding their own consistent hums._

_Chi-Chi met gazes with her boyfriend, seeing the dark eyes dancing in the moonlight. Both dressed in their martial arts outfits, her in the blue dress and red pants, him in the orange gi of the turtle school. Neither one of them were out of breath yet._

“ _Goku,” she called. “You ready for more?”_

_His confident grin was contagious. “Show me what you can do, Chi-Chi.”_

~!~

Earlier that evening, they had still been in her apartment. She'd still been worried about the attack, the threat. After dinner, after the revelation of her martial arts skills, they had kissed some more until she showed some of her warm-up _kata_. Routines created on her own over the years of personal practice.

He'd watched, eyes entranced. Chi-Chi felt a little silly going over such motions in front of him. She'd never exactly had an audience before. Not many people knew she would even be a contender in the martial arts tournament. But now she felt a little upset with herself for hiding the information from Goku. She should have known him better. Of course Goku wasn't like other guys. That's why she liked him. And the more secrets he learned about her, the more attached he seemed to get. At least if that look in his eyes meant anything.

“Hey, Chi-Chi,” he said, “Can you hold that one for a second?”

She blinked, turning to face him, hair brushing across shoulders even if it was in a ponytail. “Huh?”

His smile lit up the boarded room. “That one stance you had there. Can you hold it?”

“Uh...” she drifted off, going back to her previous position. “Sure?”

“Great!”

His voice was behind her and she resisted the urge to turn her head to look over her shoulder. What was he doing? Why stop her? Breath caught in her throat as his arms came around her, his cheek practically pressed against her own. Hands grasped her own arms, forcing her position to change.

“Try this,” he said, so close to her ear. “You looked a little tense in this one, which isn't good for the flow. You don't need anything slowing you down.”

“Goku...”

“Hm?” He hummed as he set a leg in between hers, his foot gently prodding hers further apart. “Oh, and you might want to spread your legs a bit, too, so you can bend down and -”

“Goku!”

She squeaked his name, spinning around to explain how that was such an inappropriate thing to say. Only, her legs got tangled up in his at her movement. Before she could speak a word, they were both tumbling to the floor – and she was incredibly glad that she'd pulled out her mat in case of just such a fall.

Well, if a fall happened, she hadn't exactly been expecting to be staring up into Goku's eyes, finding it so difficult to focus. Or to breathe. His hands were on either side of her, thankfully having caught himself from falling on top of her completely. Chi-Chi shifted her legs around to untangle them from his, hearing a little groan escape him.

And then his lips were on hers. So many kisses. They really were comfortable with each other. More than comfortable. Her hands reached up, but only to press against his back, to push him in deeper, to encourage the urge for a more sensual make-out session.

His elbows hit the floor, laying across her more fully, touching chest to chest. Her tongue came out. His met hers. They gasped and groaned together. Her leg shifted, a knee pressing up against him, and he broke away from the kissing with a hiss.

“Goku,” she whispered. “We need to stop.”

Dark, hazy eyes stared down at her and after a few moments, he sucked in a breath and nodded. “Yeah...yeah, I think you're right.”

Once he slid his body away from hers, Chi-Chi pulled her legs back and sat up. Goku sat on his knees, eyes closed, biting his lip and looking for all the world like he was trying to control his breathing. She couldn't blame him. She was pretty breathless, too.

“Hey, Goku,” she murmured, shifting her hair over her shoulder as she waited for him to look up. “You wanna teach me more tricks like that?”

“Uhm, well,” the blush on his face was adorable. “I guess, but I could do more if I got to spar with you.”

“Let's do that, then!”

She needed a better distraction anyway. One that she wouldn't regret in the morning. A glance to the boarded window and all her worries and anxieties came flooding back. Maybe if they -

“Ah, well,” Goku said, rubbing the back of his head. “We'd probably want to do it somewhere with a little more space. And outside isn't really -”

“Let's go to your house, then,” Chi-Chi interrupted, getting to her feet. “It'll be away from any prying eyes anyway. It's safe out where you live.”

“Uh, sure,” Goku blinked, eyes following her as she moved about the room. “If that's what you want.”

“It is,” she assured. “Now, c'mon. Help me get my stuff together.”

~!~

_Hands swiped through the air, almost whistling at the speed. She kept her palms flat, her intent not being to punch but to slap or shove or grab. His earlier comments about being too tense filled her mind and as she attacked – as he consistently dodged – she tried not to growl or build frustration._

_Instead, Chi-Chi thought back to her warm-ups, her kata, her de-stressing routines. Focus her mind. Center her self. Sense her inner strength and trust in her body's movements. Relax and let the reactions carry her._

_After all, Goku's techniques seemed well versed in his reactions. He was loose but aware. Smiling as he blocked a kick by grabbing her knee to stop her in place. And then his eyes widened and he yelped as her hand slashed through the edges of his hair instead of his throat. Oh he was so reactive, but he was good at it because he was also fast._

_If she could relax like that, then maybe…_

_Even if she was in the middle of a spar, Chi-Chi took a breath and tried to reach a state of calm. Tried to feel out the sentiment of being cool and collected. All while her assault pressed on._

_Goku yelped again as her hand brushed the fabric of his gi. He backed up, trying to break away from her fire, but she pushed forward. Forced him back and back, watching him nearly slip over himself in order to keep away. He was refusing to strike out at her but that was a matter for another time. First she had to -_

_Arms blocked hers. One on either side. Dark eyes narrowed and then widened as Chi-Chi took the opening in a flash. Her kick struck him hard in the chest, sending him stumbling back into a tree trunk where he groaned. Rubbed at his chest, one eye squinted shut as the other met her relaxed gaze._

“ _Ow,” Goku hissed, a light laugh lingering on his lips. “You do have some powerful kicks there, Chi-Chi.”_

_Her stance fell and she rushed over to him. “Oh! Are you all right?”_

_Goku laughed again, hand up as he moved away from the tree. “Yeah, fine. One more round?”_

_Of course he was fine. He could withstand anything. She'd known that from the start. Still, it didn't make her any less worried even as she chose a position across from him and prepared for another bout._

“ _Yeah,” she said, “But only one more. Then you actually give some advice instead of just taking advantage of the fun spar.”_

“ _Aw, Chi-Chi,” he said with a grin, bouncing a little on his feet. “You can't blame me for having fun.”_

~!~

When they arrived at Goku's house, Chi-Chi hopped from his bike and brushed at her martial arts dress. She adjusted the bag around her shoulder, too, and then offered a smile to Goku as he set his bike against the small house in the woods. Riding on his bike was fine as long as they were in the city and on the pavement. As soon as they'd moved onto the more natural paths, she'd had to resist the urge to complain. Dealing with bumps while sitting on the handlebars wasn't exactly pleasant.

“Well,” Goku said as he walked to the front door. “Guess now I just have to tell Grandpa.”

Before Chi-Chi could comment, the door opened and a familiar old man gazed out at the both of them. “Tell me what, Goku?”

Goku froze in place and then gave a short laugh. “Oh, uh, that Chi-Chi is staying over for the night?”

There was a playful twinkle in the old man's eyes as he glanced over to Chi-Chi. She couldn't help but smile. He trusted in her and Goku to give a good reason, apparently, but he was still going to give his grandson a hard time.

“So,” Son Gohan said, “First you're going to show up late without any explanation and then you're going to bring a girl over without asking permission. This isn't the first time you've done this to me, Goku.”

“Ah hah, yeah, I know, uhm...” Goku put a hand behind his head, laughing sheepishly once more. “I'll explain everything. I promise. But she can't stay at her place right now. Tien's gang kinda -”

“Tien?” The old man's eyes widened and then narrowed. “Goku, you told me you weren't going to get mixed up with them anymore.”

The playfulness was gone. Apparently, Gohan knew enough of the gang situation to warrant a real worried reaction. Chi-Chi couldn't really blame him. The whole gang thing was scary and kind of beyond her. But she _did_ know it wasn't Goku's fault.

“Sir?” She said, stepping forward. “I apologize for the inconvenience, but they _did_ threaten me. Goku's just trying to do what he can to protect me.”

Son Gohan's eyes met hers and then sighed. “As he should. All right, I'll ask for details later. Come on inside. Goku, make sure you get your room set for her. It probably needs a cleaning.”

Goku almost snapped to attention, following his grandfather into the house in a rush. “On it!”

Putting a hand to her mouth to cover her giggle, Chi-Chi stepped in behind them both. She closed the door and then took a moment to look around and admire the traditional aspect of the house. She slid her shoes off in the small entry area, stepping onto the mats that covered the wooden floors. Goku had already done the same and rushed to the back where his room was set up. They _did_ have an extra futon, but they preferred giving Chi-Chi his room so she could have privacy behind the wood and paper sliding door.

“Care for some tea, my dear?”

“Oh,” Chi-Chi blinked, tearing her eyes from Goku's room. “Yes, of course.”

Goku's grandfather had already set the single table for his own tea, but the small, stubby old man had no trouble pulling out more cups. Chi-Chi walked over and sat down on one of the cushions, shifting her knees to get comfortable. She stared at her hands, which she placed in her lap as she silently agonized over whether to worry about proper traditional roles. Goku had never seemed to follow any of the aspects of tradition, even if his grandfather did appear to care about the values. But still, she knew a lot of this household was built on such values, so -

“I wanted to properly thank you,” Son Gohan said, as he sat down and poured the tea. “You've done a great job helping Goku with his grades.”

“Oh!” Chi-Chi said, lifting her eyes. “You're – uh – you're welcome but I only wish we had done it in time.”

“In time for what?”

“The tournament.”

Small dark eyes shined as the man brought his tea cup to his mustached face. “Oh don't worry about that. He's won enough in the past to already have a contract set up with a national team. He just needed to procure decent grades by the time he graduates.”

“Oh,” Chi-Chi said as she delicately picked up her own cup of tea only to feel her eyes widen and gasp. “Wait. He has a contract already lined up? Without even winning in his last year?”

Goku's grandfather nodded. “On the conditions that his grades came up. Can't have someone on a national team that the news casters can tear to shreds beyond the martial arts stage.”

“Right...”

Chi-Chi blinked. No wonder Goku hadn't been too upset about not competing. Oh, he'd _want_ to but it wasn't going to ruin his life. And his grades _were_ important, just not as important as hers were to her. Considering what she was aiming -

“So, Chi-Chi,” Gohan said again, breaking her out of her thoughts. “What are _your_ plans for the future?”

Ah. The dreaded question. “Uhm. Well, I'm not sure what field I want to go into, but I do have a chance to get into one of the top universities.”

“Ah, yes, that high school is a good avenue for that purpose.”

“Exactly,” she nodded. “It's why I moved. I've always wanted to be a housewife more than anything, but an education is important, too.”

“Indeed.” Small dark eyes lifted as a mustached mouth smiled. “But being a housewife is commendable, too. Very traditional. Though if you were thinking of being one for Goku, I'm afraid his tournament matches would keep him away from home a lot.”

Her face heated at the mention of being a wife to Goku. She hadn't thought that far, yet. She'd barely considered _love_. They were still young. It wouldn't do to jump so fast...even if her heart ached for it.

Lowering her eyes, she smiled and murmured. “That'd be fine.”

~!~

_He was finally on the offensive._

_Although it had taken some convincing, Chi-Chi had managed to get Goku to actually attack her. Instead of simply dodging and blocking and running from her, he'd taken on a more serious approach to their spar. After all, if this was going to be his life, she wanted to see how much she could stand against, how long she could withstand the pressure of a soon-to-be professional._

_She didn't want to simply fight in the tournament. She wanted to win._

_Only now, Chi-Chi found herself gasping for breath as she backed away. Wincing even as she successfully caught his fist in her hand. Frowning as he pulled his hand away only so he could push her further._

_Back and back and back she went. Breathing heavily. Somehow still keeping up with him, though she was beginning to wonder if some of those hits would leave bruises. It didn't matter. She'd asked for it. Even if Goku had been reluctant, he gave in._

_He always gave in to her._

_His attacks pressed on, a fist coming dangerously close to making contact with her chest. Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes as she saw it. Not this time. With a determined move, she picked up her feet and sprang backwards as hard as she could, feeling the wind rush by her ears._

_Goku's gasp was her warning. “Chi-Chi! There's not -”_

_Before she could comprehend what he was talking about, she felt it instead. No ground met her feet when she landed. Only water. And she fell – into the lake she'd forgotten about – with a large splash and a gasp of her own._

_The water was quick to surround her. She closed her mouth as soon as her predicament hit her brain. Still trying to process what had happened, why she failed to know what was behind her before making such a daring move. While her mind was still catching up, another splash hit the water, and arms encircled her, pulling her up and out of the lake. Once they broke the surface, she gasped for air, and coughed the water out of her lungs, all while Goku carried her and set her down on the grass to rub her back soothingly._

_After a moment, Chi-Chi stopped coughing and lifted her eyes, and then fell into giggles. “Goku, you're soaked!”_

_Earlier this morning she had witnessed such a similar sight. Only now he was wearing his martial arts gi instead of his uniform. And he actually had a good reason for being wet. But her mind couldn't even think of thanking him for his impromptu rescue. All she could focus on was the way his spiked hair drooped under the weight of the water._

“ _Yeah...” he murmured. “Well, so are you.”_

“ _You're right,” she said, still giggling. “I'm definitely wet now.”_

“ _Uhm.”_

_The noise from him. The gulp. The clearing of his throat. It made her realize what she had said and her face heated significantly as she met his gaze. His handsome, dark, hazy gaze._

“ _Chi-Chi?” He whispered, leaning close. “Can I kiss you?”_

_She blinked. “Huh? Yeah, you can kiss me whenever you want, Goku, as long as it's not in public. We've already -”_

“ _No, I mean,” Goku cleared his throat again, a hand touching her neck, finger brushing her jaw line. “Can I kiss you here?”_

“ _Oh,” she breathed, face heating even more. “Y-yeah...”_

_As soon as permission was granted, Goku moved into action. Lips teased at her neck, slightly above the collar where her skin showed, and then his tongue licked at the water there, tracing a line under her jaw. Chi-Chi sat back in the grass, her hands holding her up from behind. Her giggles stopped. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes closed._

_Teeth came out to lightly graze at her skin, gently nuzzling at her neck. As if he couldn't get enough. Her tongue went to the roof of her mouth as he continued the attention._

_A hand moved to the collar of her dress, then down to the buttons and ties holding it together near her shoulder as Goku whispered against her skin. “Can I take this part off, Chi-Chi?”_

_She held her breath. He was asking for permission to go further. Did she want to? Was it okay? She was still wrestling with her feelings for him, hiding them somewhat, but she couldn't deny that it felt all right now. How much further would he ask to go?_

_Biting her lip, she nodded. If he kept asking for permission, she could stop him whenever it felt uncomfortable. But for now...the fighting had left her breathless, excited. Maybe it had done the same to him._

_The ties came free and she could feel the air, cool against her bare skin as he peeled the wet fabric away from her body. His hand brushed lightly over her breasts in the process and she shivered. She wasn't wearing a bra because it was built into her uniform so there was no need, and now he could see it all. And she wasn't drunk this time._

_His kisses traveled from her neck to her collarbone and she could practically feel the smirk. “Your nipples look kinda hard, Chi-Chi. Can I touch them?”_

_Her fingers dug deep into the grass behind her in sheer anticipation. “Yes.”_

_Oh, he did more than touch, too. Although his fingers did toy with the cold, pointed nipple of one breast, his mouth engulfed the other one. She moaned, the noise breaking free into the late night forest air. Heat pooled at the base of her stomach and her legs shifted against his, as if wanting to pull him closer._

“ _Goku...”_

“ _Hm?” He mumbled, squeezing at her soft flesh before slowly slipping his hand to the sash around her waist. “Can I -”_

“ _Yes!”_

_Without even waiting for him to finish the question, she shouted for him to continue on. Where else would he be willing to kiss? She knew what her body wanted, but was that even appropriate? She shouldn't ask. Let him do the asking. Let him lead wherever he wanted, however slowly._

_The sash came off, tossed to the side. Her dress parted, and his hands went to the waistband of her pants, eyes glancing up. “How about -?”_

“ _Yes,” she breathed again, laying back to give him an easier time of it. “Yes, please.”_

“ _Please, huh?”_

_Chi-Chi had half a mind to kick him for the look he gave her, but she allowed him to laugh. After all, he was taking her pants off – and shoes, too – leaving her only in the underwear. A blush crossed her face as she looked up at him. At the way he was staring at her. She opened her mouth, then closed it. He'd seen this all before, but tonight was different. It actually meant more._

_Hovering over her, Goku smiled, his eyes bright but hazed in something she could only describe as lust. Except he was in control. She was in control. They both wanted the intimacy this time._

“ _Hey, Chi -” he cut off with a gulp, face going a little red as his hand moved in between her legs, brushing at her wet panties. “Can I kiss you here?”_

_Oh, he actually asked and her mouth opened, only to let a little groan free. So she shut her eyes and nodded. Nodding over and over to make sure he understood it was okay._

_Lips touched her own, a tongue sneaking in to play, but not for long. He left her breathless and then whispered something she almost could swear she had imagined. “...love you.”_

_Eyes widened as he moved. Heart beat fast as he slid backwards and hummed. A hand grabbed her leg, lifting it up, touching his mouth to her bare foot. She squeaked in protest, eyes staring straight at his playful smirk. He leaned down, bending her leg back, leaving a kiss against her thigh._

_When his fingers tugged her underwear down with gentle touches, she forgot all about that 'love' word. Cool air met the wetness between her legs as she was bared to him completely. His eyes lifted to meet hers, a flash of a smile and a shine to his gaze, making her face heat as he went down on her, the dark spiky hair being all she could see._

_At first it was simply ticklish, light touches of lips against her in different areas, as if he was experimenting, exploring. But then he found a spot that made her gasp, made her turn her gaze to the sky above. Especially when he lingered there, nipped at her playfully, brought his tongue out to tease a little._

_The heat in her stomach started to build. Having no idea what it was supposed to feel like, she could only sit back and moan lightly at every perfect placement. Fingers dug into grass and earth as he continued. Breath became harder and harder to grasp._

_Her legs trembled against him as he continued to toy with the folds, licking and nibbling as if trying to eat her – without using any teeth, of course. She couldn't imagine why anyone would enjoy doing such a thing, but he kept at it. Goku lifted her legs at one point, forcing her position closer, and she moaned louder as his tongue found a hole to thrust in, all while his hands gripped her muscular thighs and she crossed her ankles behind his head. Trying to give him encouragement to keep going whenever he did something right._

“ _Oh,” her voice fled from her lips into the nighttime air, rising as he continued to work her. “Goku...”_

_The feeling became an unbearable pressure, and her hands reached for more. Found his hair. Dug into the wild spikes. The tugging seemed to encourage him. And before she knew it, she was gasping his name like a mantra._

_And then crying out incoherently as everything clenched around him, releasing in a high sigh. Last time she had experienced such a thing, she'd been too out of it to really feel much of anything deeper than desire and need. Now the emotion was there, too. The love for the one who pulled her legs off of him, who sat up and smiled at her, who leaned in to kiss her mouth, letting her taste herself on his tongue._

_Love was still too strong of a word, but -_

_But -_

“ _Hey, Chi -”_

_Oh, she couldn't imagine feeling this way about anyone else. This happiness. This level of trust. Completely naked. Open. Only for him. Only ever for him. Maybe she was too young to make such a commitment, but in her mind she already had and she didn't care._

_Fingers brushed at his cheek. “Goku -”_

“ _Can we have sex now?”_

_Everything froze inside her at the question, like the bottom had just dropped out of her bliss. Tears hit her eyes even as the reasons hit her mind. Teen pregnancy came to the forefront of her mind. Biting her lip, Chi-Chi shook her head, knowing he was going to -_

_Laugh? “I figured. That's fine.” A kiss to her eye. “Don't cry, all right? I just want you happy, and that was fun for me too, I promise. I'll just – uh – I'll go inside now and you can get yourself dressed again. Is that okay?”_

“ _Oh, Goku,” she whispered, grabbing at the sleeve of his gi. “Kiss me one more time before you go?”_

_His smile lit up the night sky. “Yeah, sure.”_

_When he came down to kiss her again, Chi-Chi tugged him against her. Hugged him close. Promised herself that no matter what life had in store for them, she would never let him go._

~!~

Chi-Chi stood outside of the small house in the woods. She was dressed again. Wet but dressed.

A small chuckle left her at the reminder. Goku hadn't actually given her advice on her fighting. He'd just enjoyed the three rounds of sparring. Well, two and a half. And of course she'd enjoyed them, too, but the whole point had been forgotten in lieu of...other things.

Now she was outside his house in a wet dress and he was inside having to...well…

A blush hit her cheeks and she turned away from the door. She couldn't go inside yet. She needed to give him time. Besides, she had another problem poking at her brain. Specifically, a problem concerning what she was going to wear tomorrow.

In the haste of leaving the apartment, Chi-Chi had forgotten to grab her school uniform. Oh, she'd packed a bag of other necessary school items, as well as a set of pajamas to wear overnight. But the uniform? She'd have to ask Goku to take her home early in the morning.

With a sigh, Chi-Chi crossed her arms and glanced to the side. They were going to be so tired in their classes tomorrow, and it was all her fault. If only she had -

Seeing Goku's bike propped up against the wall sparked an idea. What if...what if she took the bike, raced to her apartment, and then raced back here? It was unlikely for the gang members to still be hanging around at this time of night. No one would want to stay up watching an empty place, right? She should be fine. Especially if she was in and out real quick.

Convincing herself this was a good idea, Chi-Chi nodded and grabbed Goku's bike. He wouldn't even know she was gone. She'd be back before he even had time to wonder. Just a quick trip to grab some clothes. Maybe change if she felt safe enough.

Before she could contemplate further, Chi-Chi got on the bike, swallowed the voice warning her against this course of action, and then she raced toward the city. The trip was much nicer actually riding the bike and pedaling herself, though she did miss Goku's presence. She could almost feel him, _smell_ him, as she took the bike into the city. Like a constant reminder of the sporadic choice she had made.

Oh, she was already starting to regret this decision, but it didn't matter now. Her feelings telling her to pull away and go back got stronger the closer she got to her home. And her stubborn will kept her from turning around now.

Before she knew it, she was pulling up to the apartment. Climbing off the bike, she patted at her outfit and almost laughed at herself. Her key was in her bag, which was in Goku's house.

“Great,” she muttered. “What a waste of time.”

“Oh, I wouldn't say that.”

She gasped at the voice, feeling a chill hit her spine, freezing her in place. A presence appeared behind her. A knife at her throat before she could even take a stance. An arm wrapped around her. All the martial arts training in the world and she had still frozen up like an animal at the first hint of real danger.

“I don't see your boyfriend,” the voice behind her murmured. “Did you really come back without him? Tsk, tsk. Making our job easy.”

“Our?” She squeaked, eyes flicking around the dark area outside her apartment door. “Who -”

The knife pressed against her throat, steel so dangerously close to cutting skin. She held her breath. “Shh, now. You should know.”

“Brad, stop fucking around,” a different voice. A female. “She'll knock you out if you aren't careful with her.”

The one behind her growled. “Then hold your gun up and be done with it, Launch.”

The other presence showed up in Chi-Chi's vision, then. A woman in blue jean shorts and a green crop top. Her blond hair waved about her shoulders, and – and a _gun_ was in her hands. Which she pointed directly at Chi-Chi, making her clench her hands and realize she was caught. She couldn't escape from a weapon like that. She wasn't that fast. She didn't think _Goku_ was that fast.

“All right, then, here's the deal, dearie,” Launch said, eyeing Chi-Chi with a smirk. “You're going to come quietly or I'm going to shoot. Easy enough, right? And don't worry about your lil' boyfriend. He'll find out sometime tomorrow and come right to your rescue.”

Chi-Chi felt as if some weight had been dropped into her stomach. She'd made a terrible mistake. Such a brash decision, allowing her silly worries to override her common sense. And now, not only was she in trouble with Tien's gang, but Goku was going to end up walking right into some kind of trap.

Of course her mind refused to call it quits just yet. Her eyes glanced around, wanting an opening. Just a shot. Anything. All she needed was one mistake on their part and she was sure she could break free. As long as that gun wasn't involved at least.

She wasn't some helpless damsel in distress. She'd figure this out before Goku showed up.

...or so she hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why the heck use an English name? (Brad)
> 
> It's an inside joke. And this is a great place to include him. Just pretend he's some weird transfer student or something. All kinds of people in the Crane gang.
> 
> Hm. That has a nice ring to it...
> 
> -
> 
> Chi-Chi's "dress" martial arts outfit technically does have an actual name, but I...can't make it feel right in the context of the story. Which is strange because I have no issue using words like "kata" or "kotatsu" but the specific name for her dress? (Cheongsam by the way) Eh. Maybe because spelling it is a pain in the butt too. Oh well.


	13. Part 12: I Searched For You (section 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi is missing. Goku looks for her.

 

 

He walked to school in silence. One hand in his pocket, the other holding his school bag over his shoulder. Stepping alongside the road with a frown on his face, the mild heat made him long for his bike as sweat dripped at the back of his neck.

Goku sighed. He hadn't expected her to take his bike. He hadn't expected her to leave at all, really.

A part of him wondered if Chi-Chi had left because of him, because of what they'd done in the woods. He was sure everything had been fine. He'd asked for permission every step, not wanting to make any mistake but still having that urge driving his moves. He'd even backed off as soon as she said ' _no_.'Weird, though, how he was so worried about doing the right thing around her, about how those urges had happened in the first place. He didn't understand why Chi-Chi was the only girl he knew to open up such feelings within him.

And he didn't really understand why she had left, either.

Fingers brushed against metal inside his pocket, and he hummed a bit to himself at the reminder of his cell phone. Maybe he should have called her. With the way it had kept him up all night, he really should have tried calling. But if she had left him, then that meant she wanted to be alone, right? If she felt safe enough to go back to her apartment on her own, then he wasn't going to argue. Let her do what she wanted. After their sparring, he felt confident that Chi-Chi could take care of herself. Unless Tien himself came for her, then she'd be perfectly fine.

Not that he wasn't worried.

Of course he was worried. His grandfather's words to wait 'til the morning had been the only thing holding him back last night. He would have raced all the way to her apartment on foot. In the middle of the night. Instead, he'd been convinced to hang back, especially after his grandfather had discovered what intimate acts they'd done.

Hang back. Wait for a phone call. Sleep it off. See her at school in the morning.

His legs moved faster at the thought. The faster he got to school, the faster he could find Chi-Chi, and the faster he could ask what he'd done wrong.

Such were his thoughts as he walked to school, each step reminding him of the fact that his own girlfriend had stolen his bike. Or, well, borrowed, he was sure. Still, it meant his trip took longer. It meant he was late when he finally did arrive at school. It meant he had to spend time in the office explaining that he had misjudged the time it would take to walk to school since he was so used to simply riding his bike.

It also meant Goku missed the first message sent to his cell phone, as he was far too busy talking with the office staff to notice the beep in his pocket.

By the time he sat down in his class, his mind was far too preoccupied to even think of checking his phone. At least at first.

School was boring, and it was hard to pay attention in class. As always. Only now his mind _wanted_ to concentrate. Chi-Chi had drilled it into him after all the hours of after-school work. Usually, thinking of her made it easier to focus on the teacher's lecture. After all, if he could imagine Chi-Chi yelling in his ear about the importance of paying attention… Well, it helped. The same way thinking of her helped on his tests.

Except for now.

Thoughts of her made his focus drift. Where had she gone? Why had she left? Was she okay? She had to be. He didn't want to picture her in trouble. It made a sick feeling hit his stomach, made him shift around awkwardly in his chair, made him tap on the desk.

Made him reach for his cell phone.

Although phones were expressly forbidden in class and Goku wasn't one to purposefully break the rules, the itch to check his messages was far too strong. He couldn't pay attention right now anyway, so why should it matter? His hand was already on the move, slipping the phone out of his pocket, sliding it onto his desk next to his open workbook. He may not have been practiced in the art of hiding his phone in class like some of his friends, but he still knew it was a good idea to _try_ and not appear so obvious about it.

Flipping his phone open, tapping it to pull it out of its lock mode, Goku gasped and leaned forward in his chair at the sight on his screen. A message was waiting for him. How long had that been there? He'd stared at his phone all night so it had to have been recent. Whenever it had come in, he opened it now and held his breath, heart pounding in his ears when the sender was revealed to be none other than Chi-Chi.

_**Don't search for me. It's a trap. I'll be fine. Love you. Sorry about the bike.** _

"What?!"

The exclamation left his mouth before he could hold it in. His hands shook as he pressed them against the desk, staring down at the message, re-reading it as all the words slowly processed. As he realized what it meant.

Chi-Chi was in trouble. _Chi-Chi was in trouble._ _**Chi-Chi was in trouble.**_

Goku almost stepped away and rushed out of the classroom, out of the school, right then and there. Nothing else mattered. His mind jumped into overdrive, trying to think of what it could mean. Where could she be? Where had they taken her? Taken… The anger started to fill in, dropping inside, rising up from the bottom. Tien was going to pay – and pay _dearly_ if Chi-Chi had been hurt at all.

"Son Goku."

The calm but slightly annoyed voice snapped him out of his anger. Goku blinked, eyes training to the owner of the voice, the one who had stated his name. Oh. His teacher was standing next to him, holding out her hand. Goku felt his sheepish smile form on his face as he glanced around and realized his current position.

In his shock, he must have shouted out loud instead of keeping it all internal. His hands were pressed against the edge of his desk, and he was on his feet, leaning forward and down. Rising in an effort to rush out to rescue Chi-Chi, he was sure. Staring down at his phone instead of actually moving because -

"Your phone, Goku," the teacher said, clearing her throat. "You know the rules. And sit down. You're disturbing the class."

At the directions, he habitually fell in line, handing his phone over, sinking into his seat. He wasn't an intentional troublemaker by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn't known as a perfect goody-goody kid, either. He'd had outbursts like this before, and he'd been in school when he got the news about the attack on Yamcha, too. Much like then, Goku was forced to comply with school rules and sit in silence. Worry in silence.

Listen to his ringtone go off in the hand of the teacher. Forced to imagine the worst as he had to clench up and try not to react. The teacher ignored the call, turned the phone on silent, and then set it at her desk.

Goku gripped at his own desk with tight fingers, staring at his cell phone for the rest of the lecture. Lunch couldn't come fast enough.

~!~

By the time lunch break finally came around, he was a mess. Apologizing to the professor and tripping over his words in his effort to get through the polite motions as fast as possible. A quick bow to beg forgiveness, and then finally he got his phone back. Flipping it open, his eyes searched immediately to figure out who the missed call was from, and as soon as he saw the name, his rapidly beating heart dropped into the pit of his stomach.

Chi-Chi…

She'd been trying to reach him. All this time wasted with him sitting in class and she had tried to reach him. She needed help. Just like when she'd called about the threat. He needed to go to her. He needed to find her and -

"Hey, Goku!"

Lifting his head away from his cell phone, Goku blinked as sunlight hit his eyes. Sunlight? Oh. He must have wandered outside. He hadn't even gotten food yet. His stomach growled, clenching inside, telling him to go and find sustenance. But for once something more important was on his mind.

As well as the fact that his best friend was standing in front of him, hands in uniform pockets, cap on a bald head. "Krillin."

"Yeah, hi," Krillin said. "You look a little out of it. Everything okay? Where's Chi-Chi?"

Instantly, his face paled, fingers shaking around the phone in his hands. "She's uh – I don't know."

Krillin's eyes narrowed. "You don't know?"

Goku shook his head, brought a hand up to dig into his hair. His heart was still hammering in his chest. Hearing and saying such words out loud, her name especially, made it all the more real.

"I think she's in trouble," he whispered. "I don't know where she is, but she took my bike and then sent me this message and -"

Krillin's hands came out of his pockets. "Whoa. Slow down, buddy. Let's go sit down for now. I bet Yamcha can share a little of his food 'cause you haven't eaten yet, have you?"

Shaking his head numbly, Goku followed his shorter friend over to their typical picnic table. Their little lunch hang out place claimed early in their first year. Yamcha was already there, a tray of food half-finished as he continued to pick at the remnants. Goku's eyes noticed the food, the bread rolls especially, and immediately his stomach growled in angry anticipation.

"Hey, Goku, what's up?" Yamcha said as he moved over to let Goku sit down. "Something wrong? You're usually the first with food."

His mouth opened slowly, but Krillin beat him to it, even with a whisper. "Chi-Chi's missing."

"Chi-Chi's -" Yamcha blinked, eyes widening in sudden understanding. "Wait! 'Missing' as in -"

"Shh," Krillin's finger went to his mouth. "Don't let a teacher overhear you. We might have to skip school."

Yamcha's eyes immediately settled, his mouth frowning. "That bad?"

Krillin nodded. "Yeah, so keep it down."

"Right," Yamcha muttered, eyes training back to Goku. "So what happened?"

With a groan, Goku pulled at his hair. How did he explain? He should have been with her. He should have chased after her. Instead of being worried about upsetting her, he should have just trusted his gut instincts. It may have prevented everything or he would have at least known earlier. The whole night… she could have been in trouble since last night. That was so much time for so much to go wrong.

"Whoa, Goku," Yamcha said, breaking into his thoughts, hand on his arm. "I think you're gonna need your phone. Set it down before you break it."

"Oh," he said, blinking down at the cell phone, at how his fist was clenched around the device. He quickly dropped it on the table. "Right. I – I just – I don't know what to do."

On his other side, Krillin reached over and snatched at the cell phone to hide it in his jacket. "Let's start from yesterday then. You two had detention together, didn't you?"

"Heh," Goku cracked a smile at the memory. "Yeah."

Recounting the day turned out to take a lot less time than he was expecting, even with Yamcha getting him side-tracked by asking lewd questions. He'd been over at her apartment again, boarding up her window after the brick had broken it. Everything had been tense but otherwise fine because they were together. He could still smell the stew she had cooked if he tried hard enough. And then Chi-Chi had asked to go to _his_ house, so they did. Where they sparred out in the woods, and then -

"Holy shit you actually went that far with a girl on your own?" Yamcha blurted out. "I thought after the party incident, you two would be pure and innocent for the rest of high school at least. What did she taste like?"

Heat spread across his face at the question, tongue feeling weak and dry all of a sudden, rethinking his decision to share such a detail in the first place. "Uhm."

"Yamcha, not the time. I think Raditz is rubbing off on you," Krillin snapped before leaning in to talk to Goku. "Forget the minor details, Goku. After that you say she took your bike and you haven't heard from her since, right?"

"Uh…" Goku nodded slowly, "Yeah."

Leaning back, Krillin nodded, arms crossed as if he had it all figured out. "All right, then. The best place to start is her apartment then, right? Since they figured out where she lived. Pretty crazy that Chi-Chi went back alone after all that. I thought she was the cool-headed type."

Yamcha snorted. "Yeah, right. She's a firecracker, remember? She's got _Goku_ wrapped around her finger. But besides that, if she left shortly after they got a little intimate, it makes sense. You don't really think straight after a moment like that. Trust me."

With a groan, Goku lowered his elbows to the red table, hands going to his head, tugging at the wild edges of the spikes of his hair. So it _was_ his fault. He shouldn't have gone that far with her. She really had left because of -

"Goku," Krillin murmured, hand on his shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up over past decisions. There's no telling what's really to blame or what really went through her mind, okay? Look, we'll get her back and everything will turn out fine. Eat something first. Then we'll take my bike to her apartment and see if we can get any leads."

He glanced to his friend. "Your bike?"

"Yeah," Krillin nodded. "You know how it works at the temple. We take turns with the one bike."

With another snort, Yamcha shoved his tray in front of Goku. "I'll catch up later, then. You'll barely fit the two of you on that thing. But Krillin's right. Eat something first."

A hum, a nod, and a mild acceptance of their plan as Goku sat up a little straighter on the bench. His hands reached for the stuffed bread rolls immediately, stomach growling even as his mouth watered at the mere scent. He would eat a little. Then go with Krillin. Leaving school early might get them in trouble if a teacher noticed and reported them, but it was better than trying to sit through the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing.

His heart still hurt in his chest with how anxious he was feeling, but at least now he had a plan of action. He'd have to remember to thank Krillin for stepping up to help so quickly. The guy was definitely one of his closest friends for a reason.

~!~

Traveling by Krillin's bike was a little strange at first. Goku sat on the seat, facing the back, one foot resting on the spoke in the back wheel, his other leg resting over that one at the knee. He kept his arms crossed and glanced over his shoulder at his buddy as they raced away from the school.

Krillin had his feet on the pedals, of course, but he was leaning forward. Far forward. Pressing into the handlebars. Back barely against Goku's as they rode down the street.

Thankfully, no teacher had spotted them. Or at least, none close enough to approach them and keep them from leaving. Goku was sure he'd walk into school tomorrow meeting a detention slip, or worse. He knew his grandfather would scold him about this decision for sure later.

But Chi-Chi came first. Before all else, he had to think about her safety.

"It's up this way," Krillin called, "Right?"

With a blink, Goku turned to get a better look at their direction. Familiar buildings and street signs passed by as they went. The sidewalks were pretty much clear, though, since most people were at work. Minus those few who didn't work or who were still on lunch break, he guessed. Still, he was glad he didn't have to be shouting directions the whole time. His mind continued to fret over the possible situations his girlfriend could be in, trying not to think about the worst cases.

"Y-yeah," he said back, clearing his throat to give more power to his voice. "Yeah, it's the complex just up here."

Krillin nodded, his pedaling speed picking up as he pushed his way through the small crowds. "Great. Not far, then."

When they finally did pull up to the complex, Goku hopped off the bike long before Krillin could come to a stop. His shoes hit the pavement, feeling the heat of the day pulsing into his feet as he raced across the parking lot to Chi-Chi's apartment. Blood pounding in his ears and his breath caught in his throat, surprised to see _his_ bike sitting against the wall. Untouched. Unmarred. But left out in the open.

He bit the inside of his cheek as he filed the information away for later. But Krillin stepped up to voice the question anyway. "Why would they leave your bike?"

Goku shrugged. "I don't know."

It didn't make too much sense. Tien's gang had stolen one of his bike's before (at least he was pretty certain it was them). They liked stealing stuff, especially when that stuff belonged to Goku. Except…

"Huh," Krillin said. "Must have been too excited about snatching Chi-Chi to care about your bike."

A sick feeling hit his stomach. "Excited?"

Beside him, Krillin winced. "Not what I meant. I'm sure she's fine, Goku. I don't think Tien would ever go _that_ far..."

"That far as in..."

"As in don't worry about it," Krillin snapped, hand on his back. "Let's check inside her apartment. You have a key, don't you?"

Goku blinked away from the terrible thoughts, focusing on his friend. The bald-headed temple kid moved away from him, stepping up to the front door of the apartment. A key. They needed a key to get inside. But...Chi-Chi hadn't ever given him a copy. There wasn't any need. They hadn't ever thought of such a detail. After all, if they were together all the time, what would be the point? Except now they weren't together and -

A click and a small creak broke the tense air. Both Goku and Krillin brought their gazes to the apartment door, even as Krillin's hand moved away from the doorknob. Had it been unlocked this whole time?

"Huh, well, I guess that makes sense," Krillin muttered. "She must have opened it before they got to her. Or..."

Narrowed eyes glanced to his friend. "Or what?"

Krillin shrugged. "Or they forced her to open it for whatever reason."

"Why would they -"

"I don't know, Goku," his friend sighed. "But let's go inside and see if anything stands out, okay? Maybe they left you a note."

Taking a breath to steady himself, Goku nodded. He had to think clearly and stop imagining the worst of this situation. Chi-Chi was counting on him to solve this. Counting on him to come get her. Well…

Maybe not.

She _had_ sent a message earlier. A warning message. Something telling him _not_ to chase after her, _not_ to come looking. She was being too brave and he wouldn't listen, not if she was in danger, but that did beg the question…

If Tien had kidnapped her, then why was she sending those messages? Did Tien really let her keep her phone? It seemed sloppy. Incredibly sloppy. If Goku was gonna kidnap someone – which of course he never would – but if he did, he wouldn't let them have any contact with the outside world.

Unless it was on purpose. Unless it was a set up. Unless Tien wanted Goku to… but hadn't Chi-Chi said something about a trap? He bit his bottom lip and groaned. What had she said again?

Reaching into his pocket, Goku realized he didn't even have his phone anymore after his friend had snatched it away at the lunch table. "Hey, Krillin."

"Yeah?" Krillin was still standing in the doorway, peering into the darkness of the apartment, as if afraid of what he might find beyond. "Did you think of something?"

Goku shook his head, trying to keep his thoughts from wondering about Krillin's worry and imagination. "Not really. Just… Can I have my phone back?"

"Oh," Krillin said. "Sure."

His friend reached into his school jacket, pulled out the older model cell phone, and tossed it toward Goku. While he opened his palms, ready to catch the device, Goku noticed that the phone was lighting up. It was on silent so he wouldn't be able to know if someone was calling him, but by the time the phone landed in his hands, he knew. The name flashing across the screen, the subtle vibrations against his fingers. Someone was calling him. _Chi-Chi_ was -

Gulping back a breath, Goku quickly answered the call, cool metal pressing into his ear. "Chi -"

" _Oh look who actually answered."_

Eyes narrowed. A growl bubbled up from the back of his throat. "Tien."

" _Good. You recognize my voice over the phone. Not bad, Goku."_

"Where's Chi-Chi?"

" _Shouldn't you be in school?"_

"Don't play with me, Tien," Goku snarled. "Where's Chi-Chi?"

" _With me, obviously."_

"You know what I meant!"

" _I'm amazed at how worked up you are. You must have been worried all day. Don't worry. She's fine. We're just holding her until you show up, though I'm afraid I did have to drug her a little."_

His heart dropped into his stomach, his voice a squeak of a breath. "Wh-what? What did you do to her?"

" _Honestly, Goku, I'm not an evil person. She just refused to comply and stay quiet. A little drug to hush her up and keep her from pissing off my crew too much. I wouldn't want them to actually hurt her, you know. I'm sure you wouldn't want that, either. You should know how hard it is to control your friends sometimes."_

His free hand clenched at his side, shaking as his voice growled into the phone. "What do you want, Tien?"

" _Ah, that's a hard question. I'm not really sure. I know I'm angry so I want you to suffer. That contract of yours was supposed to be mine, you know. Or at the very least, you were supposed to be fighting in this tournament so I could prove myself to the couple of scouts that'll be there. But, you see, you're not in the tournament this year so that leaves me with quite a lot of pent-up aggression."_

"What do you want from me?"

" _I don't know, but I think the best I'm going to get is a fight. Sadly, it'll be off the books. But maybe I'll still get the chance to prove something. Even if it's just to you and your friends."_

He'd figured Tien would want a fight but going through all this trouble seemed ridiculous. He wanted to turn it down. He didn't like playing these kinds of games with people. Still… Chi-Chi needed him.

"All right. Where?"

" _The old abandoned playground on the South side. At sunset. Go back to school, Goku. Your grades are going to matter a whole lot more after tonight. Trust me."_

Before he could growl something back about his grades being his own business, the call cut out. For a second, Goku thought of calling back right away. After all, _sunset_ wasn't gonna cut it. He needed to save Chi-Chi now. But then he realized it wouldn't matter. Tien wouldn't answer. Tien had the upper hand here. He was calling all the shots. And Goku was just left to sit and wait until some pre-determined time. It was all out of his hands.

His fist slammed into the wall of Chi-Chi's apartment. Hard. Enough force to shake the broken and boarded window nearby. Pain rushed into his knuckles, and he knew the slight stickiness as he pulled away from the wall meant he was bleeding. Not that he cared. Not that it mattered.

"Goku..."

Krillin's voice was next to him, holding the phone that Goku must have dropped. A glance to his friend showed the wide-eyed worry and fear. An understanding. Krillin must have overheard enough.

"I need to _do_ something," Goku said, attempting to shake the pain out of his fist. "I can't just wait around."

Krillin grimaced. "Yeah, but what can you do? We still have no clue where to go. All we know is that Tien actually does have Chi-Chi and he's planning to set some trap at the playground at sunset. And I really want to tell you not to go but -"

"I will if I have to, Krillin," Goku said, glancing to his bike, walking over to it, pulling it away from the apartment wall. "They have Chi-Chi."

"Yeah, I know, but -" Krillin's voice drifted, changed as he stepped up. "Hey, where are you going?"

Goku grinned as he climbed on his bike. "Downtown. I have an idea."

~!~

Although it felt nice to be riding his own bike again, Goku could also smell _her_ and the ride downtown became more burdensome because of it. Normally, he would have relished at being able to pick up her scent on his bike – a distinctive odor he felt he could now recognize anywhere. His sense of smell had always been higher than average and now that he had tasted the core of her, noticing her particular unique scent was easier. Well, it also helped that he knew she had been riding his bike.

So maybe he was imagining it after all.

Regardless, Goku traversed the streets to purposefully cross a specific line. Gang territories existed. Well, Tien and his group had that section of town they claimed as their own. Near the South side playground, as a matter of fact, which essentially meant Tien's meeting point for later was deep into the Crane Gang territory.

Not that Goku cared about such things. After all, he only stayed away from their areas to protect his friends. Only now, one of his friends – his literal _girlfriend_ – had been taken and he _really_ didn't care about those gang lines anymore. Except for one thing – to get their attention.

When he came to a stop outside a familiar quick-serve restaurant, Krillin pedaled up next to him without hesitation. "Are you crazy? Are you _trying_ to tick him off, Goku?"

"Maybe I am," Goku growled, sliding off his bike so he could get right to tying his bike down. "I'm not waiting around, Krillin."

Even with the complaints on his tongue, Krillin climbed off his own bike and mimicked Goku's actions. "Yeah, okay, but it's just you and me, buddy. You sure you don't want to wait for Yamcha before you go stirring up trouble looking for Chi-Chi?"

"Krillin," Goku said, standing up, walking to the diner entrance, hand pressing against the door. "I told you. I'm not waiting."

Ever behind him, ready to back him up if need be, Krillin groaned. "Yeah, but – Goku, I'm not sure this is the best way to get what you want."

In response, Goku shrugged and walked into the restaurant. He didn't have time to come up with multiple plans. He didn't have time to weigh out the options. Chi-Chi didn't have time. They'd drugged her, which meant they'd already injured her to some degree, a thought that sent a rush of fire through his body. Fists clenched, he found a seat. Familiar spot, too. Probably the same one he'd chosen when he went shopping with Chi-Chi, when Tien had first discovered her existence and importance.

Sliding in to the booth, he leaned his back against the window, casually laying his leg on the bench as he glanced around the diner. Mostly empty. No one in the green and yellow of Tien's colors.

Krillin sat down across from him and sighed. "So now what?"

Gritting his teeth, Goku drummed his fingers on the table. "Now we wait for one of them to show up."

"Great," Krillin breathed. "If they even do. You sure you don't want to just wait somewhere safe and plan a little better than this?"

Goku shook his head. "I'm not waiting. I'm taking action. Even if I have to sit here and wait on them for the next move, I'm not going to play by their rules."

"You realize that means you're still waiting, right?" Krillin pressed. "You could wait around where it's safe instead. Wait for Yamcha. Wait for a better idea. Now we're just sitting in their territory waiting for them to make a move."

"Exactly."

Fingers continued to drum on the table. He'd already eaten lunch so the enticing smells of toasted bread and meat hardly registered for him. His stomach didn't need food. For once, Goku was sitting in a restaurant waiting for something entirely different, something that didn't involve satisfying a hunger.

No, he was waiting for _someone_.

As Krillin had spelled out, he was here in the Crane Gang's territory, waiting for them to make the next move. _'Play by my rules,'_ he challenged. _'Come out and face me now. I'm on your turf. Making a statement. Challenging your authority.'_

In a way, he was daring them to come out of hiding. Daring them to fight him out in the open. He wanted a confrontation _now_. Tien had spoken about holding onto pent up aggression. Well, maybe they had taken Chi-Chi to get Goku's attention, to create a rise out of him, to show him that feeling of pent up aggression by delaying his inevitable fight with Tien.

If that's what they wanted, then they were succeeding.

"Goku," Krillin sighed. "You really should think through this more. You're really worked up and -"

"I don't care, Krillin," Goku snapped. "I already told you, I'm not waiting at home. If I'm going to wait anywhere, it's going to be right here."

Another sigh from his friend. "Holy crap, you're stubborn as hell sometimes."

The comment made Goku crack a bit of a grin. Yeah, he'd been told that before. Stubborn and reckless. Such a great combination. Good thing most of the time he was content with life. It took a lot to set him off.

And this was one of the things that could do it, apparently.

Thankfully, Krillin stopped trying to convince him to turn back. His friend wouldn't push on an unmoving brick wall for too long before giving up. He knew when Goku wasn't going to budge. He probably knew better than anyone.

So they waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Three hours went by before a gang member finally walked through the restaurant doors. Goku was a little disappointed to see it wasn't Tien himself, but after three hours he wasn't in any mood to complain about who showed up. He finally had the attention he wanted. Because it wasn't just _any_ gang member, either. It was Launch herself.

Launch, the chick who always acted like Tien's girlfriend whether she was or not.

Launch, one of the higher-ups in the gang, right behind the obvious second-in-command Chiaotzu.

Launch, also known as, the girl with the gun.

She walked in, eyes glancing around the restaurant, before she met Goku's glare and gave a smirk in response. She was wearing the green and yellow of the Crane Gang, plain and simple for anyone to see, even if they didn't recognize her by the gun she carried in her hand. The green crop top, the yellow cut-off jeans. Biker gloves – because their gang had stolen actual motorcycles over the years. Red tennis shoes. Green socks. The red ribbon in her hair standing out amid such a mass of blond. Launch was in her typical outfit, probably her most comfortable for the reason of knowing a fight was going down later tonight.

When she slid into the booth across from Goku without a word, he narrowed his eyes and reigned in his frustrated anger. As much as he wanted to explode on her, he knew now would not be the time. He needed information about Chi-Chi and he was going to have to play nice in order to get some. At least she placed the gun on the table, a way of setting a truce, releasing her weapon so he didn't have to worry about her shooting the thing. Near professional expert in martial arts or not, dodging bullets was still beyond Goku's true capabilities. He was still only human, after all.

Tension bled between them in the silence. Krillin had already slid along the bench to press against the wall, having been forced to accommodate Launch's presence whether he felt comfortable with it or not. Goku sat up on his bench, hand squeezing around the glass of the milkshake he had ordered to have an excuse to stay in the restaurant. Since the rule was he couldn't sit here taking up space in a booth without being a paying customer. Well, he had to watch his anger because the glass was tight around his fingers. Thankfully, the milkshake wasn't served in a styrofoam cup. He was pretty sure he would have crushed it by now.

"You should have stayed in school, Goku," Launch said into the tension, voice mimicking what Tien had told him earlier. "Or at least gone home and changed. You stand out like a sore thumb."

He met her green gaze and growled. "Where's Chi-Chi?"

Green eyes rolled. "Is that all you think about?"

Sitting forward, Goku brushed off her commentary and lowered his voice. "Where is she?"

Their gazes locked. Lips frowned. Goku felt his heart rate pick up. For _three hours_ , he had been sitting in this booth wondering where his girlfriend could be, wondering if she was really okay like Tien claimed. Three hours with just his thoughts and Krillin to distract him. Yamcha must not have been able to leave school. There was no telling when his back up would arrive.

But now Launch was toying with him, refusing to give an inch, determined to keep him waiting 'til sunset. Well, gun or not, Goku wasn't going to just sit by and let her -

"You want to know where your girl is?"

The question – the other male voice – caught him completely by surprise. Goku felt the heat of his anger cool a little by the appearance of this new stranger. The guy sat down next to Launch, wearing jeans, a torn green t-shirt with the crane symbol and a black leather biker jacket with a yellow ribbon tied around one of his arms. The color combination immediately gave him away as a gang member and Goku narrowed his eyes.

Especially when the guy smirked and ran a thumb across the bangs of his dirty blond hair, revealing the fingerless gloves that were near identical to Launch's. "Don't worry about her. Your girl is safe at my place right now."

Launch turned and hissed. "Brad."

"Oh, let me have some fun, Launch," the one called Brad said as he waved his hand in the air. "It's not like he even knows who I am, much less where I live. I've just been a nameless gang member up until this point."

With a scowl, Goku pulled his hand away from his drink and set his hands on the table. "Stop playing around and tell me where she -"

"I already told you, idiot," Brad interrupted. "Your girl is at my place. I took her there myself last night. She's being guarded but she's kind of out of it right now thanks to the drug we gave her. You'll probably be happy to know she fought back and almost escaped on her own. That's why we had to drug her a little, you see."

His body was shaking with the urge to jump across the table. He didn't like the way this guy was talking about Chi-Chi. He didn't like it at all.

"She's one hell of a tiger, too."

Goku blinked, growling through clenched teeth. "What?"

Brad pulled his jacket sleeve back, revealing the nail marks, the red slash marks on his skin. "She didn't even care about the knife when she gave me those. Guess she didn't like the way I was holding her on my bike."

Between the shit-eating grin on the guy's face and the image that flashed through his mind, Goku couldn't hold himself back any longer. The day had been too stressful, too much building up without release. He simply snapped.

Jumping up, one leg on the seat, one smashing on the table, Goku reached across and snatched the black leather jacket in his hand. He pulled Brad up by the collar and then wasted no time slamming his fist into that smirking unprotected face. Once. Twice. Three times. His anger flowed out, finally having some physical target where he could direct all that pent up frustration.

And then Krillin's yelp caught his attention. "Goku...buddy..."

Dark eyes glanced to the side and then froze. Everything froze. Teeth ground together as he was forced to reign in his anger once again. Krillin was up against the wall, hands raised, shaking. Shaking because Launch's gun was at his throat, the safety presumably off, ready to fire. A real death threat.

Green eyes locked with his knowingly. Goku scowled, making his displeasure obvious, but he dropped his hold on the gang member. Clenched his fists as he pulled back and slowly sat down again, lowering his hands to the table to show he wouldn't be springing into action anymore. Much like how earlier Launch had set her gun on the table to signify a temporary cease fire.

Now, the chick kicked Brad to the floor of the restaurant herself, hissing at him to get up and stop causing problems. The gun moved away from Krillin, the barrel pointing toward Goku for a few seconds, before Launch shrugged and clicked her safety back on.

"Sunset," she said. "Not before. You can wait two more hours, can't you?"

Still brimming with barely concealed rage, Goku gave a short nod. He wasn't going to be able to break away from this plan. This trap. Whatever it was, he was caught and out of options. He _might_ have had a chance, but his untimely outburst had just ruined it all.

As Launch and Brad left the restaurant without another word, although with mumbled complaints from the guy, Goku clenched his fists, nails digging into palms as he glared down at the red table. Thoughts of Chi-Chi being caught by these guys filled his mind, of her being drugged because of her resistance…

And he was stuck here, unable to do anything but play the game by their rules, walk into their trap knowing something more was at stake but not knowing what. Why did they keep mocking him about going to school? As if any of them actually had perfect attendance records… Why did he have to feel so helpless?

Shutting his eyes, he tried to shake the sinking feeling, took a deep breath only to groan and whisper in defeat. "Damn it..."

"Sorry, Goku," Krillin mumbled in front of him. "But looks like we really don't have a choice now."

With a grunt, Goku nodded and pulled himself to his feet. It was pointless to wait around _here_ any longer. "Might as well go to that playground now, then. Text Yamcha to meet us there."

"Right," Krillin said, following his steps. "Look, Goku, whatever trap they're planning to spring, don't worry too much, okay?"

"Hm?"

"I mean," Krillin sighed, hands going to his pockets. "We'll get through it fine. Chi-Chi will be fine. You'll be fine. I -"

Hand on the glass door, Goku sighed. Eyes narrowed as he pushed the door open and walked out into the wind of spring. He knew his friend meant well and he was really glad Krillin was going to be with him through whatever happened tonight. But that sick pit in his stomach refused to go away.

"I hope you're right, Krillin," he mumbled, a hand going up to rub the back of his neck. "I've got a bad feeling about this."


	14. Part 12: I Searched For You (section 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku fights Tien in an abandoned playground

Eating a fast food burger on top of a metal jungle gym had been the last thing on his plans for the evening. But hunger called, as it always did. Of course, Goku would have much preferred to be sitting at home with Chi-Chi, or at least knowing that Chi-Chi was safe. Too bad he couldn't have what he wanted.

The tension of the day was beginning to physically affect him. His shoulders ached a little from being unable to relax all day. He'd already removed his jacket, set it off to the side, let it hang over one of the metal bars. If it fell it would be a pain to retrieve it since this particular jungle gym was one of those circular types. Like a giant half-sphere of metal dug into the ground. Thankfully, his jacket showed no signs of slipping to the ground below, but such a small thing was no relief from the tension.

Krillin stood on the ground, leaning back against the awkwardly curved metal bars, near where Goku rested his feet. Hands were in his pockets, staring out beyond the abandoned playground. Well, _he_ wasn't focused on the food. For now, Goku was and he _had_ to be or else he'd go insane with worry.

The playground was empty except for them and still no sign of Tien, though sunset was fast approaching. Walking through the place had almost been a hazard on its own. Overgrown weeds. Fallen branches from nearby rotting trees. Crushed leaves. Moss and vines crawling around the playhouse and its two plastic slides. _That_ thing didn't look stable enough to sit on, a reason Goku had chosen the spherical monkey bars instead.

Oh, there was a swing set, too, and a little merry-go-round and some semblance of a sandbox off in the corner. But none of those made good places to sit. Well, the swings might be okay, but he wasn't in the mood to test the strength of those.

A sigh came from his friend as Krillin kicked a rock into a patch of weeds. "Hey, Goku?"

Since he had food in his mouth, Goku grunted in response. "Hm?"

"What are you gonna do when they get here?"

Ah. The big question. He chewed the last of his food, swallowed, and then crunched up the wrapper into a ball before tossing it at his friend's head. The trash landed perfectly, rolling around on the brim of Krillin's cap as his buddy turned to look at him. The wad of a wrapper eventually fell to the ground and the both of them stared at it in silence, as if unsure what to do, watching the wind take it for a trip through the abandoned playground equipment.

After he'd had enough watching the little trash ball, Goku sighed. "I wish I had an answer, Krillin, but I really don't know _what_ I'll do until I see what this set up is all about."

Krillin grimaced. "Yeah, and by then it may be too late."

"Not much I can do at this point," Goku shrugged, crossing his arms and laying them across his knees; he was trying to be nonchalant about the situation, trying to keep the worry from eating him up. "As long as they have Chi-Chi there's just not much I can argue with at all."

His friend grunted and hummed in passive agreement. Both of their eyes moved toward the city. This playground was in an abandoned part of town, a place that was typically expected to be off limits, but now it was simply the side of town where the gang life could run rampant, apparently. A poorer section tied to the abandoned half-collapsed buildings. A place that had been hit hard by a storm and never repaired by the city.

It was depressing being out here for so long. There weren't any lights. No crowds. No activity. But smoke was an ever present smell, at least to him. As well as that foreboding sense of being watched from the darkness. He was a little shocked they hadn't been approached by any adults, well meaning or otherwise.

As the sun reached closer to the horizon, the sound of a motorcycle engine revved through the air. Goku perked up as the noise came closer. Had they finally decided to show up? Was the waiting over?

A sliver of disappointment hit him when the bike and rider became visible. Dark hair didn't fit anyone in Tien's gang. And as rare and unexpected as it was to see him on a motorcycle, it also wasn't the first time Goku had seen his friend riding one either.

Krillin was the first to voice the name, even as the rider pulled up in front of them. "Yamcha?"

Their friend stepped off the motorcycle, propping the vehicle up by its kickstand as he moved a pair of goggles up to his forehead. "Hey, sorry it took so long."

Goku blinked, then laughed. "Hey, no problem, Yamcha. I wasn't expecting you to show up anyway."

"Aw, Goku, I'm hurt," Yamcha said, hand to his heart. "I always try to be there for my friends."

With a shrug, Goku grinned, welcoming the help even as he teased. It felt nice to joke around a little, to relieve some of the tension at least. He hadn't expected Yamcha to show up because of what had happened in the past. While help would be nice, he could understand Yamcha wanting to avoid Tien at all costs.

But here he was anyway. Goku would have come out here on his own without a problem, but it was nice to see his friends ready to back him up.

"All right," Krillin said into the dying tension. "So what took you so long anyway? I figured something kept you from leaving the school, but -"

"Yeah, covering your asses, honestly," Yamcha quipped. "But that was the easy part. Trying to convince Vegeta was the hard part."

Goku blinked. "Vegeta's coming?"

Yamcha sighed, hand going behind his neck. "Well, no, but I did _try_ to convince him to help. He said he didn't want any part in your gang fighting. Something about it being petty and beneath him and how Chi-Chi was your responsibility anyway."

A sick feeling hit Goku's stomach, like an untimely punch to the gut. Chi-Chi was his responsibility, huh? Yeah, he could agree with that… and he'd messed up. He'd failed her. After all these months working to keep her safe from this exact sort of thing…

He gave an uneasy chuckle and scratched at his cheek. "Ah hah, yeah, I guess he has a point."

A jarring kick to the metal bars sent a shiver running through his legs as he glanced down to Krillin. "Yo, Goku, don't worry about him. Whatever happens tonight, we're gonna fix it all and you won't have to worry about protecting Chi-Chi ever again."

While Goku could understand his friend's sentiments, understand that Krillin was really just trying to ease his fear, he couldn't help but laugh again. "Heh. Yeah. Well, I think I'm always gonna worry about her."

Before he could continue the conversation, Yamcha cleared his throat. Both Krillin and Goku turned attention to their other friend. Their other friend who was leaning against the motorcycle that they hadn't really expected to see in his possession, come to think of it. Well, he'd seen Yamcha with a bike before, but nothing quite so extravagant or nice. It almost looked, well, _new_.

"Anyway," Yamcha said. "The important thing is I also talked to Bulma."

Krillin snapped his fingers. "Oh, so _that's_ where you got the bike!"

Goku blinked, raising an eyebrow, giving a half-hearted grin because he had missed something. "Wait. What? What's so important about Bulma?"

With a roll of his eyes, Yamcha met his gaze. "For one, yeah, she gave me the bike out of her father's garage so it's temporary. But more importantly, she's gonna talk to the police."

"What?!" Springing off the jungle gym, Goku landed in front of his friend, unsure whether he actually wanted to glare or not. "Chi-Chi could be in danger. You can't call the cops until we know she's safe!"

"Right, right, I know," Yamcha said, hands up defensively. "But trust me. By the time Bulma gets them to act, we'll have Chi-Chi back and _hopefully_ manage to stop them before they can do anything too terrible with this trap they have planned or whatever."

Giving a sigh, Goku ran a hand through his hair. "I hope you're right."

"Don't worry," Yamcha went on, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving a squeeze. "Just think of it as insurance."

Releasing another breath, Goku cracked a weak smile. "Thanks, then. I guess."

Yamcha nodded. "See. Relax. Everything will work out. Now we just need to wait for Tien to show up."

Heh. Right. Wait. So much waiting. So many hours wasted of sitting around and doing nothing. Goku was tired of waiting.

And yet still he had no choice in the matter. All he had left to do, was wait.

~!~

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait much longer at all. When the sound of more motorcycle engines filled the air, Goku narrowed his eyes, gaze focused on the playground entrance. He stood next to Krillin, having just managed a laugh at some light-hearted joke from his friends. Only now the laughter died as three motorcycles pulled into the scene. Three bikes that revved their engines, plowed through the overgrowth in the playground, and then basically surrounded them, leaving the metal jungle gym at his back.

"Well," Krillin whispered. "Here we go."

Goku nodded slowly, eyes searching the bikes for Chi-Chi. At first he couldn't see her at all. There was Tien, shirtless, wearing only his dark green pants, a red sash of a belt, arm bands, and oh, of course his boots designed specifically for fighting, too. The third eye tattooed on Tien's forehead normally seemed ridiculous, but now the symbol added an intimidating quality to the image.

Behind Tien, Chiaotzu grinned, looking like a happy child with a painted face. Most wouldn't have known that Chiaotzu was actually a high school student as well, just a kid that couldn't grow beyond the child body. He was mostly a rival for Krillin, probably slated to be in the tournament as well.

On the second bike, one rider, Launch. Her blond curls bounced around her shoulders and as soon as she stopped in place, she lifted her trusty weapon. Great. So the gun was going to be present after all. What was their deal? Why all this fuss?

Goku swallowed something that tasted a little like worry and a little like the harsh tang of fear as he glanced to the third motorcycle. Brad had joined the crew, apparently. Newly initiated or important or something because of the cargo he carried behind him, draped all over his back, knocked out.

He stepped toward her on instinct. "Chi-"

Two pairs of hands snatched him back from either side, keeping him steady in place. "Hold on, Goku."

Though his heart demanded he rush toward her now, Goku had to swallow the urge and nod again. His eyes stayed on her, though, checking for signs of breathing. She was clearly passed out and there looked to be a little dried blood reflecting in the dimming sunlight from the top of her hair, but otherwise she looked to be fine. Perfectly...fine...and still in that martial arts uniform, too. That was a good sign, right?

"Goku," Tien said, pulling his attention. "I'm surprised at you."

Glaring at the leader of the Crane Gang, Goku lightly shook his friends off. "Why?"

"Hm, because," Tien said as he stepped off his bike and gestured toward him. "You're still wearing your school uniform. A little bit of disadvantage for a fight, don't you think?"

"Don't care," he snapped. "The jacket's the only thing really constricting movement anyway. Let Chi-Chi go."

Fists shook at his side. Adrenaline was beginning to pump through him in anticipation of his fight. He had to force it down, control it, but that was so _hard_ to do with Chi-Chi unconscious and laying across Brad like that. At least that guy's smug face had already been smashed enough to be sporting bruises. Released tension without true results – only a temporary relief.

Now his focus was Tien, though he spared a glance for Chiaotzu and Launch. She always had her gun, usually to fire it in the sky for a scare tactic or signal. So why was he nervous about seeing it now? Oh, right, they'd set a trap.

Dark eyes slid back to Tien as Goku frowned. A trap...but what?

"I think we've done enough standing around," Tien announced. "Time to get down to business, huh?"

Taking a deep calming breath, Goku spared a glance to Chi-Chi, then focused back on the person who had taken her in the first place. "What do you want, Tien? Just a fight? Let Chi-Chi go and I'll fight you all you want."

"Hmm...temping and I do realize you're one of those trustworthy types, but no," Tien stepped closer, coming right up in front of Goku, causing Krillin and Yamcha to both take up stances on either side of him. "I'm not giving the order to let her go until _after_ our fight. You're never this worked up in a tournament match. It's usually all fun and games for you. But _this_ – this is like tasting your raw power. Raw raging energy. Give me a fight with your rage. It's going to be my only chance for this kind of fight with you. So give me this – and _then_ I'll give your girl back to you."

Through clenched teeth, Goku gave his hissed answer. "Fine."

Dark eyes glared up at the gang leader. They were close, so much closer than they would have been at the start of a tournament match. But this wouldn't be a tournament match. Not anything like it. He wasn't sure what Tien was trying to prove, what trap he was trying to pull, but after waiting all day to see Chi-Chi safe again...Goku simply didn't care.

He didn't care about keeping his adrenaline in check. He didn't care about the rage bubbling up from the core of his being. He didn't care about the danger of the situation.

All he cared about was getting Chi-Chi back and making Tien pay for stepping so far out of bounds.

"Krillin, Yamcha," he snapped, a quick call behind him. "Try to keep an eye on Chi-Chi for me."

Yamcha's reply came first. "Right."

Then Krillin's. "Uh...I'll try...but if Chiaotzu tries anything..."

Oh, right. There were other gang members and Krillin usually kept tabs on Chiaotzu in these tense situations. Those honest answers would have to do, then. He needed to focus on Tien. Hopefully, his friends would be able to handle the others. It _was_ a little mismatched, but – well – it was the best they could manage.

With a slight nod to his friend, Goku turned attention back to Tien just in time to see the gang leader taking a stance. Bending slightly. Prepared to spring. Goku grit his teeth and fell into a defensive position. As much as his rage urged him to push forward, the simple, habitual motion helped calm his mind enough to keep him steady.

He took a breath, let it out…

And then the tension snapped.

The first move came not from Tien or even Goku, but the scream accompanied by a childlike figure jumping high over Tien's bent form. Like a little animal making a surprise attack. Only Krillin sprang into action before Goku could react. Tackling Chiaotzu to the ground off to the side, Krillin successfully stopped the distraction in its tracks.

Of course Goku was still putting together the pieces of what had happened, but his mind and reactions caught up in time to block Tien's first punch. Brushing it off, he dodged the next one with ease. Moved side to side as he avoided each straight forward attack in those flurry of punches. He stepped back, too, trying to create the distance he needed to launch his own attack, but Tien kept pushing him. Insistent. And persistent. Very much so persistent.

Hard, cool metal pressed into Goku's back and he yelped, glancing over his shoulder to see the spherical jungle gym. A quick decision and he turned, climbing as fast as he could before turning his body back around to block another punch from Tien with his arm just in time. Balance became a new factor as he ducked and raced around the metal playground equipment. But training and a cool head kept him focused and steady.

Fighting was like a familiar dance to him. Every move had a purpose. Every breath well controlled. He still needed to reach a point to push himself onto the offensive, but for now the tense rage was well under wraps.

An idea hit his mind and he went with it almost instantly. Springing away from the jungle gym, Goku flipped backwards through the air. He landed with his feet on solid ground and then kicked his way backwards some more with another quick jump.

Just as Tien was coming down to meet him. With a bit of a grin, Goku changed the momentum of his quick spring backward and rushed right _toward_ Tien instead. As the gang leader's boots brushed with the earth, Goku's fist connected hard with the unprotected muscle of Tien's abdomen. A forceful hit right to the gut – one that sent Tien stumbling back into the jungle gym where he slumped against the metal bars.

Perfect. Caught him off guard _and_ off balance. Goku stood tall, feeling a grin form on his face, only to drop it at the reminder of why he was fighting. This wasn't a tournament stage to spend time gloating in front of a crowd. This was a personal fight in an abandoned playground.

He glared at the groaning gang leader before him. "Let Chi-Chi go."

Tien glared back at him, but then dropped the glare for a knowing smirk instead as he called out. "Launch!"

Tilting his head at the odd display, Goku raised an eyebrow, about to question. The gunfire distracted his attention, pulling his gaze over to the other side of the spherical jungle gym. Krillin seemed locked in his own fight with Chiaotzu. Yamcha was clearly winning against Brad. Launch had her gun raised, pointed toward the sky. Chi-Chi was…

...on the ground.

"What?" He exclaimed. "What did -"

A sudden impact to his stomach choked the words out of his mouth. Followed by a clean cut to his jaw and then a harsh kick to his chest that sent him flying back, hitting the ground and sliding from the force and speed of the blow.

Tien appeared above him, a boot ready to crush down on him, but Goku saw the move with enough time to roll away. Roll and get his bearings as he did so, crashing through twigs and patches of weeds and overgrown vines that snagged on his uniform clothes. At least he had removed his jacket long ago, but now when he sprang up to his feet he was covered in the little brambles and stickers that he had rolled through.

Whatever. His focus here was still Tien. And the gang leader was still after him.

Goku wiped at his face, feeling the blood trickle from a busted lip. Thanks to Tien's earlier sucker punch to his jaw. He'd almost bitten his tongue, too. Or maybe he had. Hard to tell. Either way, it almost felt like the fight was even now.

Eyes narrowing, he watched as Tien rushed toward him and Goku met him full force this time. Not just blocking punches but throwing his own out there as well. A kick swiped through the air and he had to jump to avoid it, taking the opportunity to spring back again. He liked keeping his distance from Tien. The guy was a good close range fighter and hard rushes were easier to predict than all those fast movements up front.

As expected, Tien charged toward him. A glance over his shoulder allowed Goku a small smirk, though. He jumped back off to the side to break away from the rush, but literally tilted his body sideways so he could let his feet hit the side of the playground's playhouse. Bouncing off the rotting wood wall, Goku managed to get himself behind Tien in record time, which then allowed him to grab the guy from behind, an arm pressing hard into his neck.

They struggled in that position and Goku growled as he held Tien as still as possible. "I'm only gonna say it one more time. Let Chi-Chi g-ah -"

Somehow Tien managed to escape his hold and soon Goku found himself caught in the other position, this time with Tien harshly twisting and holding his arm behind him. "What was that?"

Beyond being a good close range fighter, Tien was also a little taller, bigger and bulkier than Goku. Enough to make a difference here as he tried to break free of the hold against him. That twisting of his arm was sort of painful, making his eyes twitch, forcing him to grit his teeth as he fought against Tien's grasp.

He slid his feet along the ground, trying to test if another angle would work better for him. No new angle gave him relief, but at the very least he noticed a decent sized branch sitting in the brush. A glance to Tien, another quick glance around to judge angle, and then a half-shrug as he stepped on the edge of the tree limb. To his luck, the branch snapped up, smacking directly into Tien's kneecap, which caused the gang leader to release his hold on Goku.

As soon as he was free, Goku bounced into action. Slamming his elbow into Tien's jaw and then hopping back a little to grin. Only, he couldn't gloat for long, finding that Tien was quit to recover and retaliate. Hands grabbed at either side of Goku's face and then a head smacked hard into his, releasing him in time to allow the force to carry Goku backwards.

He stumbled and fell into the plastic slide behind him, hearing it creak a little before collapsing entirely under his weight. Rubbing his head, he groaned, then blinked, seeing Tien charging for him again. A quick flip back and he was on his feet, at a distance, and...Tien stopped?

Having fallen into a stance, Goku blinked, tilting his head as he stared across the way at his opponent, curious as to the delay. "What are y-"

The gunshot rocked through the air. Only this time, his world froze in response. _Pain_ came in response. White hot pain flooding through his body, slowly filling everything else. His heart pounded and pain accompanied the pumping of his blood. His mouth fell open with a gasp, finding it hard to even locate where that strange sensation was coming from. What could it -

And then Tien was in front of him. He tried to move away, only to feel one of his legs _absolutely refuse_ to cooperate. A whimper escaped his mouth at the rush of fire that filled him at the attempt. He didn't have time to question, though, as Tien was already taking advantage of his slow reaction. A knee to the gut and he bent over, still agonizing over that flood of heat trickling in from his leg.

His leg was on fire…

And then he was on the ground, rolling, being kicked in the side, curling up to try to block it out, eyes closing, voice screaming as it all coalesced into one agonizing feeling. Too much. It was too much. He couldn't breathe. He could barely hear himself. Or the words being spoken above him.

When the extra pain stopped, he still wanted to curl up. That feeling in his leg was impossible to ignore. So many times he'd brushed over twinges and aches and hits, but _this_ was something entirely different, entirely new. His extremely high pain tolerance could only mask so much.

Over the foggy haze, he finally heard the words being spoken to him, words from Tien. "I bet that spot in the National Team just opened up."

Words that didn't make any sense. Why would he bring up the national team? He knew Tien was jealous of the contract Goku had earned but – why -

And then other voices. Krillin. "Goku, buddy, are you okay?"

"Shut up, Krillin, of course he's not okay," and that was Yamcha. "Look, we gotta stop the bleeding. The cops are coming. They'll help."

"Goku, hey, don't know if you can hear, but we're gonna roll you over a little, okay?"

Not that he could understand, but he nodded, hissing as they did just that. His vision swam and he tried to move his leg again, only to end up screaming and watching his world go dark. Temporarily at least. He came to, feeling his arm shaking as he tried to reach for something, seeing more people around him. Adults. Police? When had they -?

"All right, son, you've lost a decent amount of blood now, so just stay with us," heh, one of _those_ kinds of adults. "We're gonna move ya onto this stretcher, and then you won't have to move anymore."

He tried to give some kind of response, some kind of nod, or mumble an okay. Maybe a nod. But all that came out was something else on his mind. In all this haze, he was still worried about her. "Chi-"

Krillin was by his side, snatching and holding his hand. "Don't worry about Chi-Chi. She'll be fine. They'll take care of her. She just seemed to be passed out, okay? Nothing serious. They'll flush the drugs out of her system and she'll be right back to normal. You'll see."

"Heh."

"And you'll be fine, too," Krillin continued. "Yamcha and I have to stay with the police and answer some questions and all. But – uh – I'll see you at the hospital later, all right? I'm not sure where you got shot exactly, but it shouldn't be too bad...even if that is a lot of blood...but hey, you bounce back from all kinds of stuff. You'll be fine."

He didn't understand. Shot? Was that what…?

Oh. Launch had shot him...all the mocking talk of how he needed to be in school...the trap...they'd planned to shoot him all along...oh…

Well…

At least Chi-Chi was going to be okay. At least he had something to smile about as they moved him and that red hot fire rushed through him again, vision swimming until he blacked out. And this time, the black out wasn't temporary.


	15. Part 13: We Held Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi wakes up in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been doing a strange pattern of having only one character point of view for each chapter and switching off throughout the story. In order to represent the growth of Goku and Chi-Chi's relationship, we will now have a moment of a chapter with both viewpoints. No worries, we will continue to our regular patterns shortly.

 

Her days became a blur, a strange mix of memory and dream and reality. It was impossible to tell the difference at first. Whatever drugs they had forced on her had left her dazed as her body worked to reject it, even as it struggled to welcome the haze, a constant tug of war.

She could recall her father at her bedside, but she wasn't sure if it was reality. Blue and white faded colors spotted the ceiling and walls were decorated with posters of random medical knowledge. _That_ was reality. Someone handing her water or juice every time she opened her eyes. Reality. Goku's friends coming in to ask about Tien's gang… followed by the police asking the same questions. Some mix of reality? Maybe?

When Chi-Chi was finally lucid again, her room was empty. Clothes to change into and a note from her father sat on the nearby desk. So he _had_ been here. A letter saying he hoped she wouldn't get involved in gang fights anymore, that her education was still important, since it had been the whole reason she had moved here in the first place. He told her how some friends from school had brought her the work that she had missed. Oh, and at the end of the letter he mentioned meeting Goku – meeting him and approving, apparently.

Chi-Chi blushed considerably, setting the letter to the side and pulling her clothes out to change. Of course her father had brought a more conservative casual dress, one with a high collar and a length down to the floor. The purple was a nice color, though, not too bright or too dark.

Eventually, a nurse came in – with another bottle of water – and Chi-Chi was given the information she needed to check out of the hospital. She also asked where they had put Goku, and though the nurse wouldn't share his exact condition with her, she did point Chi-Chi in the right direction.

After settling her own affairs so the hospital staff would be less likely to bother her, Chi-Chi signed her forms of release and went hunting for Goku's room. She had no idea what had actually happened. All she knew was what Tien's gang had wanted, what they had planned.

Oh, if only she had managed to get away from them. If only she hadn't made that stupid decision to leave the safety of Goku's house in the first place…

Now there was no telling…

She knew that Tien had been livid to learn how Goku wasn't in the tournament. Envious over the martial arts contract Goku had earned thanks to his hard work through the years. Tien had ranted on and on about how scouts weren't supposed to pick people before their final year, how Goku must have cheated the system, and then...then he'd spoken about ways to guarantee that the team spot would be open. Ways that had shocked Chi-Chi, left her wanting to warn Goku away.

She hadn't wanted to be used for such a thing. But now… Now Goku _was_ hurt and it was her fault.

When she found his room, a little plastic slot on the wall with _'Son Goku'_ written on a crudely folded piece of paper, Chi-Chi hesitated. She stood at the door, hand reaching for the knob, and she paused. Would he want to see her? Would he blame her at all? Fighting was his passion. If Tien had somehow succeeded with one of those options he'd ranted about, then Goku's career in martial arts could very well be over. Or at least put on hold for a few years.

Or…

She gulped and threw that other thought behind her, instead opting for the optimistic viewpoint. Or he was perfectly fine and she was worrying over nothing.

Taking a breath, Chi-Chi steeled herself for all the possibilities, and then finally opened the door. It creaked on its hinges as she pushed it away from her, like a reminder that this hospital was pretty old and probably not the best. Goku wasn't exactly rich, though she hoped his grandfather could afford _some_ kind of health care. Or maybe he was on some governmental plan and -

Oh, she was worrying about silly details again. No doubt a mental effort to avoid and prolong the inevitable of actually seeing Goku's condition.

"Hey, Chi-Chi!" The bright, upbeat voice took her by surprise. "You're okay!"

Shifting her gaze up to the bed in the center of the room, Chi-Chi found her eyes trapped by his broad smile. He sat up in bed, wearing one of the blue hospital gowns, a bowl of some kind of food sitting in between his legs, the steam rising up to those bright eyes and wide smile. A smile that set her heart aflame as she put a hand to her chest, took a breath, and then felt the tears come unbidden as she raced across the room to his bedside.

"Goku -"

Her voice trembled, so she cut it off and wrapped her arms around him instead. Gently, once he hissed a little at the contact, but she refused to let go. The hospital smell of disinfectant mixed with the air of _sick_ couldn't mask his country boy pine tree scent if she pressed in hard enough. Arms came around her awkwardly, as if the position wasn't really the best, and she laughed amid the tears.

"H-hey," he said. "Why are you crying? Everything's fine, Chi-Chi. They got that stuff out of you, right? You feel better now?"

Pulling away from the hug to stand up and meet his smiling gaze, Chi-Chi huffed. "Yes, I'm fine. I told you not to come looking for me, didn't I? Tien kept talking about what kinds of things he had planned and I didn't want -"

His gazed shifted down to his leg and then back to hers. A brief instant where Goku's smile turned upside down. Almost unnoticeable. In fact, she did almost miss it. Because he was so good at covering his little slip with that wide carefree grin of his.

"Aw, Chi," he said, scratching at his cheek. "I'm fine."

She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure? They were talking about shooting you, Goku. I thought they were gonna kill you."

Something flashed across his eyes, so similar to the little glance of earlier, but now he kept his gaze on her. "Well, they _did_ shoot me, but I'm fine. I promise."

"They shot you after all?" Eyes widened as she gasped. "Where? How bad is it? Are you -"

His hand grabbed her wrist, squeezing gently but firmly. "Relax. I'm fine. I told you that already. Stop worrying so much."

Blinking at his strange insistence, she nodded, and then leaned over, putting her free hand on his face as she tried to read the look in his eyes. "Okay, but -"

Dark eyes lit up with his smile as he let her go, lightly shaking her hand away, too. "When it happened, I didn't really know what was going on, but apparently Launch shot more than once. She got me in my side with one of them, but that's really minor 'cause it barely grazed me at all. I don't think I even realized it was there at first."

Oh, so that was why he hissed when she had hugged him earlier. She'd have to be careful. Still. Crazy how he'd been shot more than once. Twice, even… As he started to talk about the other one, Goku's eyes dimmed a little, the brightness fading just enough for her to notice the twitch in his smile.

"The other one...well...walking and stuff is gonna be kinda hard until it heals," he muttered. "Since they shot my leg. It, uh, I don't really remember much except it hurting a lot, especially 'cause I tried to move it and Tien took the opportunity to get a few hits in himself. But I'm fine now! Or, uh, well, I promise I will be fine."

"You keep saying that," Chi-Chi murmured, sinking down to kneel at his bedside and rest a hand lightly on his lap. "Why do you keep saying that?"

Goku's laugh was light, his hand coming up to scratch at his cheek as he shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just don't want you to worry about me. I'm – uh – I'm really glad you're okay, Chi-Chi. You _are_ okay, right?"

She wanted to cry again. Here he was, sitting in the hospital with two gunshot wounds, and he was worried about her. _Her_. When the worst she had was a headache, a very minor headache, too, most likely from not getting any actual balanced nutrition as her body had been fighting to break away from the drugged haze. Then again, he might have been worried about certain other things. She _had_ been with Tien's gang for a night and an entire day...hazy as the last half of that had been.

"Yeah," she whispered, clinging to the sheets of his bed as she looked up at him. "I'm fine. They didn't do anything. They probably wouldn't have even drugged me if I hadn't tried to escape. I just...didn't want them to get to you."

"'cause you knew what they were planning, huh?"

"Well, sort of," she had to shrug and her eyes moved down to stare at where his legs rested under the sheets. "I'm pretty sure Tien wanted you dead, Goku."

Goku sighed. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"So -"

"But I'm fine, see?" Goku interrupted, setting a hand on her head, running fingers through her hair. "It's hard to understand all the medical stuff they told me, but Grandpa says I was really lucky. Did you know some people _can_ die from a shot to the leg? Anyway – I think I lost a lot of blood but it wasn't _that_ bad. The bullet didn't even shatter any bones or anything, which it could have done. It just – well the way it went in, I might – uh – heh – well, that doesn't matter. It'll heal. I'm fine."

Because of how he kept insisting, Chi-Chi was beginning to wonder. He was keeping something from her. Some small detail he didn't want to share, or maybe he just didn't want to talk about it. That was fine. If it was truly important, she'd find out eventually.

For now it was nice just being in the same room as him. Being next to him. Without a word, she rested her head on his lap, and he grunted about having to move his bowl of food but otherwise didn't complain. Normally, she might have stood beside him instead or sat down in one of the chairs at the side of the room, but after everything that had happened – she just wanted to be close and know that everything would be all right.

~!~

Although it was a little awkward with Chi-Chi resting her head in his lap like that, Goku didn't care. The food he had been eating wasn't all that good anyway. Hospital food didn't really reach the level of Chi-Chi's cooking. Of course, he'd eaten anyway, but having to set it aside wasn't the end of the world.

He'd much rather run his fingers through Chi-Chi's hair anyway. Would much rather feel her against him. A little cool to the touch but she smelled so nice, especially compared to everything else in here. More importantly, she was safe. Safe and doing fine. They'd told him it could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days for her to wake up from the drugs Tien's gang had forced on her. And, well, considering Goku had been out of it for that first day anyway….and then she hadn't been awake right away…

Well, she was fine now. And he was fine, too. Mostly.

Doctors had told him they would try their best to get his leg healed back to normal, but then they'd muttered about it being highly unlikely. Grandpa had told him straight that he didn't have the money to pay for all this, much less some extra therapy or whatever. So it wasn't very likely at all that he'd ever regain full control. Which meant -

Before Goku's thoughts could continue down that strain, the door to his hospital room creaked open. He smiled at first to see his grandfather walking in, but then Goku noticed the look in the old eyes and his smile wavered. Another person had walked in with Grandpa Gohan. Someone vaguely familiar. Goku's fingers stopped threading through Chi-Chi's hair, instead simply resting on her head, keeping himself from trembling at the implications of this visit.

"Hey, Grandpa -"

Interrupted by his grandfather's hand lifting in the air and then a sigh from the elder. "Goku, this man is a representative from our National Martial Arts Team. You've met him before, if you remember."

"Ah, yeah," Goku nodded and then swallowed something in his throat. "What's up?"

Chi-Chi lifted her head. Glancing over to her, he offered a smile, letting his hand rest on the bed instead. Her hand touched his and squeezed gently. His eyes stayed on her for a moment, taking in the frown on her face, the creased forehead, but before he could explain away her fears, the representative spoke and drew his attention.

"Son Goku," he guy said, hands shuffling through papers in a folder. "You were given a contract to join the team last year about this time. A little earlier than most high school students, I might add."

"Ah, yeah?" Goku tried a grin. "I guess not many people have the record I do, huh?"

Eyes glanced over at him from over a pair of glasses, clearly unamused, and Goku felt his grin twitch. He watched as the representative in the black suit pulled up a chair to sit next to the bed. On the opposite side of Chi-Chi, who was watching in polite silence from her position on the floor, even as her cool thumb rubbed along Goku's hand.

A throat cleared and the guy spoke again. "Yes, well, you remember there were certain conditions that had to be met. Your spot and contract was only guaranteed if you managed those conditions by the end of this school year."

Goku blinked, tilting his head. "Yeah, like my grades, right? Thanks to Chi-Chi's help, those came up so I don't think it's a problem anymore."

"Hm," the guy hummed. "You also need to be in near-perfect health, keeping yourself in shape and ready to fight at your full capacity of what was demonstrated in earlier tournaments."

Oh. _Oh_. He knew what this was about now, and it made his heart start pounding in his chest.

"I can still fight," he said, even as his free hand absent-mindedly moved to rub at his injured leg; he shifted positions and then winced slightly. "It'll get better."

"According to the medical report," the team representative said as more papers shuffled. "It won't. Not to mention, you were wounded in a gang incident. The prestige of our national team cannot accept such connections. As of today, we're rescinding the contract, considering its terms have been breached."

"Oh..."

Lowering his gaze to his lap, to his injured leg, Goku found it impossible to say much else. His breathing seemed a little short. His mouth a little dry. In truth, he wasn't too freaked out over losing the contract. A little upset that someone like Tien might have it now, that the police didn't seem interested in arresting any of the Crane Gang… a little upset that Tien had essentially won, gotten the revenge he wanted in the end.

But there were other words that haunted him right now. According to the medical report, his leg would never be the same. What _did_ that mean for his future in fighting? How bad would it be? Would he be able to fight at all? Not good enough for a high ranking national team, but -

"Goku," Chi-Chi's voice pulled him away from his thoughts, her arms around his neck, hugging tightly. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Uhm, Chi," he bit the inside of his cheek before his voice cracked, giving a light laugh to cover the slip. "It's fine. Really, it's okay. Don't worry about me."

His grandfather stepped up to the bed. The team representative had long since left the room, leaving the folder of important papers on the nearby counter. Goku looked up at the old man who had been the main support of his martial arts for all these years. The one who had started him on this path so many years ago.

Kind old eyes smiled at him as Grandpa Gohan set a hand on Goku's shoulder. "It's all right. We'll think of something else."

"Heh. Yeah," Goku said, lowering his gaze with a sigh of his own. "Something."

~!~

Time passed slowly, each day bringing a new unforeseen challenge. Days turned into weeks. School would be coming to a close soon. The tournament wasn't too far away, either. A little more than a month left to prepare.

Chi-Chi found herself staying with Goku at his house, once he was released from the hospital of course, and she even went so far as to buy another futon so she could successfully insist on him staying in his bed. He didn't want to acknowledge his lasting injury at all. Grandpa Gohan had brought in an old martial arts staff, a red pole, but Goku very rarely used it to help with walking and even then, he was reluctant.

Chi-Chi stayed at the house to help in all the little things. Such as what she was doing now. Using Goku's bike to travel into town, Chi-Chi had come back to the house in the woods with groceries, insisting she help with the cooking since Goku liked her food so much. A light rain had begun to fall as she set the bike on the side of the house, and she brushed her slowly dampening hair back from her shoulders with a sigh as she made her way inside.

Kicking off her shoes, Chi-Chi stepped on the floor mats with another sigh. They needed another washing soon. Someone had tracked mud all over the floor. A glance around the small house revealed only one occupant sitting at the single table. A pot of tea had been brewed but steam was no longer rising from the cup in front of Goku's grandfather.

"Where's Goku?" She asked, moving to the kitchen area to set all the groceries down; she'd organize them later; nothing in those bags would spoil if left out. "He's not outside, is he? It's starting to rain."

"Oh, he's outside," Gohan said. "Can't hold that boy back. Said he wanted to run through _kata_ under the trees while he still had the chance."

Feeling her eyes widen, Chi-Chi rushed back to the main room, hanging in the doorway. "But – he can't even -"

Tired, old eyes glanced up from a stack of papers on the table. "He can do whatever he wants, child. He'll accept his limitations on his own eventually."

Closing her mouth on the worried retort, Chi-Chi gave a nod. There really was no use arguing with Gohan – or Goku himself, for that matter. Stripped of his martial arts contract and told he'd never be able to fight the same again, Goku had been stubborn about going outside to practice his routines anyway. The added stress was bound to make his muscles refuse to heal, but holding Goku back from martial arts completely, even with good intentions, felt almost cruel at this point.

So, she shut her mouth and walked over to sit at the table opposite from Grandpa Gohan, all the while trying not to imagine Goku hurting himself out in the rain. "Have you worked out how you're paying the hospital bills?"

Gohan sighed. "These are good trees, part of my family land, but if we sell enough to the lumber company, then the bill is paid."

Oh. That would be a shame – to see so much of the forest torn down. Though she had to admit, she wasn't as attached to the old trees as Goku and his grandfather might be.

A stray thought hit her about how they'd still be keeping the land so they could probably make a farm out of it, but she brushed it aside for now. "What about paying for your own medicine? Those pills are expensive, aren't they?"

Tired, old eyes glanced to her once again. "Don't you worry about that, child."

"But -"

"Just focus on my grandson," Son Gohan continued. "Unless you're helping because you feel guilty. He doesn't need that. He went to save you knowing he was walking into something. But now that he most likely will be stuck in poverty for the rest of his life -"

"I don't care about all that!" She snapped, quickly covering her mouth and staring down at the table in shame for her outburst. "I mean, commitment isn't logical for a high school student, but – but – I still -"

_-want to be with him no matter what_.

The thunder crash interrupted her before she could get the courage to voice her words, but she caught the smile in the old man's eyes nonetheless. He'd been testing her. Tired and a little pushy but still… It was a good point to raise. If she did want to commit to Goku, what kind of future did that leave her? In the depths of her heart, she wanted to be a housewife, wanted to live the traditional life where the husband worked all day and brought in money for the family. Where she raised children up with good morals and habits and...well...could she still do all that if Goku didn't have this contract? What kind of job could he get now? His disability would cut out a lot of the options he'd already built up.

Hearing the rain pouring down outside, Chi-Chi shook her head. Later. There would be time to debate and discuss the options later. For now…

Eyes widening, she jumped to her feet. "Goku's still outside. In this rain, he'll make himself sick."

Without caring to slide into her shoes, Chi-Chi rushed out the door and looked around, a gust of wind ruffling the frills of her sundress. The rain was coming down in sheets now and it was impossible to see all that far in front of her face. Squinting her eyes, she walked around the house, heedless of the mud seeping in between her toes.

Lightning flashed and her eyes spotted a red pole first, the moving body of Goku second, taking a step toward him before realizing what she had seen. Was still seeing. She paused as his movements flowed through the rain. Almost perfect poise and control of each form as he effortlessly glided through his own routine, the pole dancing amid his motions. And then it all came to an abrupt halt when he put too much weight on his weak leg and it collapsed underneath him.

Chi-Chi took a few more steps, but then stopped again, arms reaching uselessly toward him in the pouring rain. Goku had managed to stick the pole in the ground, keeping himself from falling and slowly climbing back to his feet. She was close enough to see how his teeth were clenched but his eyes hadn't noticed her presence yet.

Even with the rain pouring around him, with the puddles and mud sloshing at his feet, Goku pulled himself back into a stance. Splashes of wet dirt and congealing mud now stained his tank top and sweatpants, though he didn't seem to care. Because off he went again. Slowly through the motions at first. Acting aware of his weak leg. A weakness regardless of how well he could pull this off, too easily exploitable in a fight, but watching his stubborn determination in the face of such truth made the breath catch in her throat.

Until he fell again, this time crashing hard into the mud and earth below. Chi-Chi rushed toward him completely then, calling his name, biting back tears as she watched his face lift out of the mud, his eyes fixing her with a dead, empty stare. By the time she got to him, Goku was sitting on the ground, one leg stretched uselessly in front of him, the pole in a puddle beside him.

"Chi -"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, falling to her knees in front of him, wiping his face of the mud and then pulling his head against her chest. "I'm so, so sorry. It's not fair and it's all my fault and -"

Her voice cut off – because he'd broken from her hold in order to pull her down enough to kiss her. Nothing too long, just enough to stop her words. Enough to make her lose her breath all over again. Enough for her to miss the contact when he pulled away.

A beat of silence between them, the rain coming down around them, and she saw the forgiveness and love reflected in his dark eyes, even amid the hovering sorrow. His head bowed without a word, staring down at his leg, and Chi-Chi choked on a sob as she pulled him in again, head against her chest so she could thread fingers through his wet hair.

His arms came up and held her, clinging fiercely, as if afraid to let her go, afraid she might leave. Chi-Chi hummed to try to shake her own fear. Fear of the future, of the unknown. She wanted to soothe him, wanted to be there for him no matter what. After all, he'd risked it all for her, and he'd almost lost it all, too. But it was so hard to get the words to come now.

"Chi-Chi?"

"Hm?"

Even if she didn't have words, apparently Goku did, muffled as they were. "Can I ask you something?"

Brushing his wet bangs back from his forehead, she hummed through her tears. "Yeah, but we should go inside first."

"No," he said and she pulled back and froze a little, catching his eyes as he stared up at her. "Chi-Chi, when you fight in the tournament, will you fight for me?"

_'Will you win for me?'_

She could hear the unspoken question in the way he gazed at her, in the way one of his hands grasped at the red pole, in the unspoken knowledge that she would have to fight Tien.

Answering both questions, Chi-Chi gave a determined nod. "Yes, I will, but..."

Goku's eyes had sparkled for a moment, only to dim as his growing smile dropped. "But…?"

Leaning down, she wrapped arms around him again, pressing her forehead against his, ignoring the wet squelching sound of their soaked clothes and bodies. "But you have to teach me as much as possible in a month."

For a beat, there was nothing but the sound of the rain hitting the trees, splashing in the puddles. The rumble of thunder, the flash of distant lightning. Then Goku's eyes lit up and he kissed her, long and hard and deep, pulling back with a light but genuine grin on his muddy face.

"Yeah," he said. "I can do that."


	16. Part 14: We Learned Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goku studies, Chi-Chi trains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still getting both point of views in this chapter as they work together.

 

 

~!~

 

“ _We'll have to train every day.”_

“ _Every day?”_

“ _Yeah! I think you can do it, but beating Tien for you is gonna be tough so -”_

“ _Goku.”_

“ _Huh?”_

“ _I'll give you extra time to train me, but you have to give me an extra study session with you. Every day.”_

“ _Uh...what?”_

 

~!~

 

Arm draped over the back of his chair, Goku sighed. Libraries were boring and far too quiet and tense for his liking normally, but here he sat. In his school uniform, the second set Chi-Chi had bought for him. His school bag was hanging on the back of the chair as well, and the red pole his grandfather had given him was leaning against the wood table. He had a strap for the pole, too, so he didn't have to always use it and he could still carry it at his back, crude rope holding it in a makeshift sheath of sorts. But now it was leaning against the table, sheath and rope and all.

Chi-Chi was also leaning against the table, standing next to him as she shuffled through the papers of homework. She was looking everything over at a glance, trying to decide if he needed anymore specific lectures for the day. So, while she was busy, Goku allowed his eyes to stare at her, allowed his thoughts to drift.

Her flowery perfume was present today, or maybe it was the shampoo in her hair. Since she had been spending every night with him, he was growing accustomed to her scents, even being able to pick out more details about each small change – and know why, mostly. No matter what scent she chose for the day or the week, his senses were still entranced by it. Probably because it was her, and of course he could always pick up her true scent hidden underneath it all.

“Goku, are you listening?”

He blinked out of his daze, giving a sheepish smile. “Hm? I thought you were -”

A sigh, her hand running through her long, dark hair, which she had down and free for the moment. “We need to go over these math problems again. I don't think you understand the concept yet.”

With a groan, Goku leaned his head back, staring at the domed ceiling. “Do we have to do it right now, Chi?”

Eyes narrowed and he offered an apologetic grin because he knew exactly what he was getting into. Ever since he had been shot, Chi-Chi's tutoring had changed. She gave in more often, the fire of insistence no longer guiding her words whenever he complained. He missed the old lectures, the angry tirades whenever he dazed out or stopped listening, all the little things that had actually helped him with his classes in the long run. Because of her frustrated persistence, he'd risen from failure to barely passing to a little above average. Of course, he wasn't ever going to reach the high scores that she could, but even the teachers had noticed the change in him. A little sad that it had taken all year, and most of his education experience at that.

And now Chi-Chi was going easy on him. Because of the gang fight, the shot, the injury. Because of pity.

Of course he was going to try to push her. He didn't like the pity. Oh, he liked how much she cared. He loved seeing her stand by him through it all. But those glances to his leg really hurt, the sadness that filtered into her eyes when she glanced back to him and then quickly looked away. _That_ he could do without.

“Maybe later, then,” she mumbled, stacking his papers into the special folder she had made for him. “If you promise to focus when we're at your house.”

Goku sighed because she had given in after all. “Yeah, I will, Chi, but don't you have to study, too? You can't waste all that extra time on me.”

Her tongue clicked between her teeth. Her hands went to her hips. Strands of long black hair falling over her shoulders as she narrowed her eyes at him. Now _that_ was the look he liked to see, the expression full of so much fire and passion he had to gasp for breath. His grin formed and then dropped immediately when her face lowered into his and her lecture began.

“Don't you even start with me, Goku,” she snapped. “My routines are planned out well enough to accommodate you. The only thing late study time with you does to my schedule is break into my practice time. I don't have to study for classes near as much as you do, _but_ if you want me to do well at the tournament then -”

His eyes snapped wide open, hands grabbing at hers, resting on her hips in the process. “Hey, no, I want you to have as much practice and training as you need. And I thought you wanted me helping you...”

“I do,” Chi-Chi said. “So, we should study now and train later. Like I planned. Deal?”

He blinked. In fact, he blinked several times in silence until he figured out exactly what she had just done to him. Though the prospect of sitting in this library staring at math problems for any longer wasn't appealing in the least, Goku couldn't help but smile wide at the shine in her eyes. She wasn't showing pity after all. Her tirades might be a little lighter now, but she still knew exactly how to twist him around her finger – and she wasn't holding back like he'd thought. All for his own sake, too, because his grades _did_ matter a lot more now.

Not to mention how her logic made sense to a point where he couldn't easily argue, either. Honestly, he loved that about her. Kind, generous, but fierce and passionate and headstrong when it came to getting things done, especially for a cause she deemed worthy. He was lucky to have her stand by him through everything that had happened recently. So very, very lucky.

So, he grinned and jerked her down just enough to land a quick kiss to her lips, eyes shining back at her wide-eyed gaze. Getting her to blush was his own way of gaining a little ground, but it was enough.

He kept his smile even as she stared back at him in shock, and he offered a nod as well as a meaningful murmur. “Deal.”

 

~!~

 

“ _You need to spar with someone, Chi-Chi.”_

“ _I thought I was sparring with you.”_

“ _No, I mean, someone else.”_

“ _Someone else? Why?”_

“ _'Cause, you know. My leg kinda...”_

“ _Goku, you're fi-”_

“ _Oh, I know! Yamcha can spar with you!”_

“ _Yamcha?”_

“ _Uh huh. I'll ask him. I'm sure he'll say yes.”_

“ _Oh...okay...”_

 

~!~

 

The last thing Chi-Chi expected was to be climbing into the school's tournament ring weeks before the actual tournament. Sure, she had talked to Master Roshi about technique before, getting his feedback and advice. But she wasn't actually one of his students. She was off-the-radar, taught by her father and otherwise self-taught. She did research when appropriate and had her practice routines to keep herself in form. But she hadn't ever entered a tournament style match before.

Confessing this to Goku had led him to push her here now. The school gym had never felt so ominous. Thankfully, it was well after school hours, so no one else was around to see her fight. Just Goku.

And Yamcha, of course.

Bringing a hand to her chest, Chi-Chi tried to gulp back the nerves. This wasn't official. This wouldn't make or break anything. This was just practice. Nothing serious. Nothing to worry about. Yamcha was a good guy and friend to even accept to spar with her when he probably wanted to train on his own.

Yamcha's groan said otherwise, though. “Goku, I can't do this.”

“Huh?” Goku asked from his position at the edge of the ring. “Why not?”

His eyes were genuinely curious and confused, the wide blink showcasing his emotions. That was Goku, though. He didn't hide his emotions. Even his disappointment over his injured leg wasn't well hidden, as much as he tried to smile for her sake all the time. He leaned against the edge of the ring, his grandfather's pole propped up beside him, a constant reminder of the limp he'd always carry now.

Chi-Chi still felt awful about the whole situation. If only she hadn't made such a decision. Being tired and not thinking straight weren't good excuses, regardless of what Goku told her. Her actions, her choice to return to her apartment, had led to Goku getting shot. So much more could have gone wrong, but this was bad enough. The guilt was still eating at her, even as Goku continued to surprise her with playful kisses as time passed.

“Goku, she's your girlfriend,” Yamcha said, snapping Chi-Chi from her thoughts. “I can't fight your girlfriend.”

Goku's response was quick and a little defensive. “What's that got to do with anything?”

“It – everything?” Yamcha blinked. “If I hurt her -”

“You won't.”

“What?”

“You won't hurt her,” Goku said, turning to Chi-Chi with a grin and a sparkle in his eye. “She's going to beat Tien at the tournament for me.”

While a part of her was still nervous about being a possible disappointment, she had to admit the confidence he had in her certainly helped ease those fears. In fact, it helped a lot. While Yamcha continued to press Goku on this subject, Chi-Chi tuned the two of them out and focused on the look in Goku's eyes when he had faced her. The look that said he thought she could do anything.

He thought she was amazing.

And now she was more determined than ever to prove him right.

Closing her eyes, Chi-Chi took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then released it slowly. She repeated the calming process a few more times feeling tension ease out of her bit by bit. Her shoulders relaxed considerably and she was finally able to focus on her center, to feel the beat of her heart to find the clear semi-meditative state she needed.

Thoughts of what Goku would think disappeared from her mind and when she opened her eyes, she was setting her stance and more prepared than ever to face her opponent in the ring. This was practice for Tien, but she would still need to climb the ranks to face him. If Tien even ended up being the last fight. In the end, Chi-Chi was certain she would have to face the big, bulky warrior of the Crane Gang, but the goal was to win. Win the whole tournament for Goku, regardless of who she had to fight along the way.

Her eyes landed on Yamcha in his orange turtle _gi,_ a gentle reminder that she might have to face him, too. Goku's friend. Hesitant to practice with her. She had to prove she had what it took to compete. She'd shown a taste of her skills before to Goku's friends, but her boyfriend was the only one to actually fight her in a match.

“Yamcha,” Chi-Chi said to grab his attention. “I need to get used to the ring setting and I don't have time to waste.”

Yamcha groaned again, his eyes glancing from her to Goku and then back to her. His face grimaced, but his body fell into a stance of his own. He probably wouldn't go all-out on her at first, worried of accidentally hurting her. Well then, maybe she could use that to prove a point to not underestimate her.

“All right,” Yamcha murmured. “But Goku better not kill me after this.”

Goku's confusion was apparent. “Why would I -”

Except there was no chance to listen to what Goku had to say. Without another warning, Yamcha charged toward her, striking at her with speed but an obvious attack. She slid to the side, held up the flat side of her palm to press his charging arms away from her, and used the angle of his charge to get behind him and push him to continue his forward momentum.

It was sloppy, especially on his part, but to her surprise, Yamcha was quick to recover. He stumbled forward a bit and then spun to face her. His eyes caught hers. She raised her hands into another stance, daring him to come at her again.

A small smile hit his face and then Yamcha's eyes flashed with something she recognized. A fighter's confident thrill. He wasn't going to play around anymore.

Breath escaped through her lips and then Yamcha came at her again. Only this time the moves were more calculated. Chi-Chi had to keep herself on guard, staying on the defensive as she stepped around the ring floor.

Footsteps became a bit of a blur as she moved, trying to read his attacks. Noticing every twitch of his eyebrow or glance away, she found her opening to take an offensive. A spin to dodge one of his low kicks at her legs. Followed quickly by a kick of her own to send him flying, much like how she had caught Goku off guard in the forest, only this required a little less effort and calculation.

Yamcha wasn't really as fast as Goku.

Of course, he could rebound pretty fast in his own right. He didn't spend time agonizing over the kick she had landed. In fact, he barely grimaced at the hit, quick to spring forward to attack her with flurries of punches.

Chi-Chi had to admit she was caught off guard by his fast response. It wasn't at all like Goku's reactions as far as she remembered. She dodged as best as she could, practically hopping backward to get away from Yamcha's assault.

Back and back and back and -

When her foot landed on the edge of the ring, her balance suffered immensely. A yelp fell from her lips as her body fell backwards. She shut her eyes and grit her teeth, prepared to hit the gym floor hard.

Warm arms caught her, encircling her even as she continued to fall. She still hit the ground, but slower than she'd anticipated – and with Goku holding her protectively.

His laugh hit her ears. “Careful, Chi. The ring's not as big as you think it is.”

A glance over her shoulder revealed his beaming grin and sparkling eyes. He was sitting on the floor, his arms still wrapped around her stomach. She had to guess that he'd caught her and then lost his own balance because of the weakness in his leg. Still, he didn't seem bothered by it at all.

“I guess this really is good practice,” she murmured. “I didn't think I could lose track of the ring like that.”

Yamcha spoke from where he crouched at the edge of the tournament ring. “Oh, you can lose track of a lot of things in a fight.”

“That's true.”

Goku hummed near her ear, resting his chin on her shoulder. “I love watching you fight, Chi-Chi. I can't wait to see what you do when you get more comfortable in the ring.”

“She's gonna be great,” Yamcha added. “You were right, Goku.”

“Of course I was right,” Goku said. “Chi-Chi's amazing.”

 

~!~

 

“ _You're going to have to learn something new.”_

“ _Do I even have time for that, Goku?”_

“ _Yeah. It's not too complicated.”_

“ _What is it then?”_

“ _There's this defensive martial arts. I bet you can use it to help you throw Tien around the stage. It'll help you block him, too.”_

“ _Defensive martial arts. What are you even -”_

“ _Look. Here. I'll show you. I don't use it myself, but it was in this book Grandpa had...”_

 

~!~

 

A breeze rushed through the leaves of the tree, brushing against Goku's face. The cold of winter had definitely given way to spring now. Nightfall was approaching, so it wasn't too hot or anything, and there was still enough daylight to read the book in his hands.

Chi-Chi was cooking dinner in his house, and she would be spending time making sure Grandpa Gohan felt comfortable in his bed, too, since he hadn't been feeling well lately. Since she'd be busy with all that, Goku had decided to sneak away from any possible extra study sessions. She did like to take advantage of every opportunity of downtime. No wonder she was so smart. She'd probably be a great parent, too. He could easily imagine her scolding kids to study whenever they had a free moment.

Honestly, Goku didn't mind her insistence. He had originally asked her to help tutor him, long before it mattered _this_ much. He couldn't afford to drop out of high school now, even if his original job plan wasn't going to work out. Chi-Chi pushed him because she was worried about him.

In turn, he pushed her back, keeping her on her toes when it came to training for the tournament. He insisted that she spar with him regardless of his weakness (which he was slowly learning how to work around now, thanks to the spars). Of course he'd recently thrown her up against Yamcha to test her skills with someone else as her opponent. Chi-Chi had proven to be weak when it came to knowing her position in the ring – or knowing the size of the ring itself – but they were working on it. And she was getting better – a lot better.

Still. Imagining Chi-Chi fighting Tien brought a frown to his face and a twitch in the pit of his stomach. He believed in her. He had faith that she _could_ pull it off.

However, Yamcha was right – she was good but was she _that_ good?

Humming to himself, Goku stared down at the book open in his lap. He had climbed up into this tree to flip through the old martial arts techniques. A book his grandfather owned. Moves from a different kind of style than what he was used to, or even the kind Chi-Chi used. He wanted to find something that Chi-Chi could use against Tien, something that would help her in such a disadvantageous situation. Problem was, it needed to be a technique she could learn quickly. They were running out of time.

“Goku?” Chi-Chi called from the front door of the house. “Where are you?”

With a blink, Goku felt his frown tip up into a smile immediately when he saw her standing there calling for him. A warmth he couldn't explain tingled across his chest and he had to grin as he watched her walk toward the tree. Even the slight reminder that this was one of the few trees left on the property didn't break the current happiness coursing through him. There was something special about the way Chi-Chi walked. Such purpose in every step, the light wind sliding across her bangs, barely ruffling the sleek hair she had pulled back into a loose ponytail. Of course her eyes caught him and held him still, heart pounding as she stood at the base of the tree and stared up at him.

“Goku, what are you doing?” She sighed, hands going to her hips. “How did you even get up there?”

He laughed and scratched at his cheek with a shrug. “It wasn't _that_ hard.”

“You're going to hurt yourself if you keep pushing your leg like this.”

That brought the frown back, but he quickly shook it off and smiled at her again. “Aw, Chi-Chi, it's fine. I'm being careful with it, I promise.”

Her eyes found his and then jerked to a spot over his shoulder, probably focusing on the staff at his back. “I still worry.”

“I know,” he murmured. “I never expected you to care so much.”

When she didn't respond, Goku offered another smile and then decided it was time to climb down. If she was out here now, it was probably time for dinner. He was starting to learn her routine – and even glad she was staying over so much for him to learn it at all. He liked living with her.

Dropping the martial arts book to the ground first, Goku then moved around the tree limb until he could practically roll off the side. All while hanging onto the branch, of course, so that he could hang from the tree and drop down lightly. First on his good leg to keep most of the weight there, then letting the weak one come down to keep his balance. It was a little rocky, but Chi-Chi was there and his hand went to her shoulder until things settled.

Then, he smiled at her in the shadow of the tree. “See? Not a problem at all.”

Her raised eyebrow reminded him that he couldn't trick Chi-Chi, though she allowed him to brush over the minor incident. “Right… What were you doing in the tree anyway? If you wanted to study, you could have stayed inside.”

“Heh. Well, it was a different kind of studying,” Goku said, lifting his gaze to the tree. “And I like sitting among all those leaves. I can almost pretend I'm surrounded by a forest again when I'm up there.”

He felt her tense beneath his hand, so he squeezed her shoulder and then stepped away toward the house. His staff sat in its sheath at his back, and he avoided looking toward the empty land behind him, or the lack of trees surrounding his grandfather's house. With the lumber going to pay hospital bills, he didn't want to think about how the hospital hadn't really fixed his leg, either. Regardless of what they said, though, he could still walk just fine anyway. Just like how he could still fight, too, even if he'd been forced to change his style up a little. Even if both things relied heavily on the pole his Grandpa had given him. Someone had mentioned physical therapy, but that cost more money, which they didn't have, so he'd probably be stuck with a limp forever.

“Goku!”

He didn't mind, though. He'd sacrifice everything for Chi-Chi if he ever had to, so this was nothing.

A small weight left his back and he froze in place, blinking as Chi-Chi appeared in front of him, holding the red pole out. Her eyebrows were down. A shine of unshed tears in her eyes. Pole in one hand, martial arts book in the other.

“You're supposed to use this to help you walk, aren't you?” Chi-Chi snapped. “Stop being stubborn. At least in front of me.”

For a moment, Goku stared down at her in silence, once more confronted with her fiery insistent personality. With a slight laugh, he took the staff and then pulled her in close to hold her next to him in a tight hug. He was lucky to have her, and he knew it, though he didn't know the right words to express it. Not yet.

“All right,” he murmured. “I'll do whatever you want, Chi.”

A beat of silence, followed by a huff. “You better.”


	17. Part 15: I Cheered For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tournament begins. Goku does what he can to stick in the audience, but seems he keeps getting distracted.

 

~!~

A crisp smell was in the air, that hard-to-explain scent of springtime heading into summer. The sky was blue but cloudy, the taste of rain in the air without any other sign of a storm. Spring showers could come without warning, though, and sometimes even be accompanied by the bright sun.

Goku sure hoped it didn't rain, though. He was wearing a muted dark orange hoodie, but he didn't have an umbrella or anything that would actually be helpful in a rainstorm. Chi-Chi didn't either. They hadn't really planned for rain, so if it did come, he hoped it would at least happen and pass by while the tournament carried on. Then they could be inside and miss any possible downpour.

Besides, it would suck to have to walk home in the rain. Because they _had_ walked here, deeming it the better option over trying to ride a bike together. Which was fine. Goku didn't mind walking, and Chi-Chi said a little light exercise was actually good for his leg in the long run, too, though she kept an eye on him to make sure he used the red staff as intended.

It was a long walk from his country home to the school, but it was fine if he was with Chi-Chi. He liked walking with her. They could talk about anything, and at some point she had even grabbed his free hand in hers. Or maybe he'd been the one to take hers. Either way, it was nice to travel next to her, holding her hand, squeezing it gently anytime she seemed anxious about the tournament. After all, it was kind of hard to talk about anything else right now.

Chi-Chi was all set for her matches today, dressed in the blue and red uniform she chose to wear instead of some normal _gi_ , which was fine, since that's what she was used to and it was all still allowed by tournament rules. All the hard training he'd helped her with over the past few weeks was about to be tested. Only an hour or so left until that first match would kick off. He couldn't wait to see what she would do. Couldn't wait to see her use the new techniques he'd shown her.

She was going to be amazing.

“Goku.”

“Hm?”

“You're staring again.”

He blinked, realizing that she was right, laughing a little as he faced ahead again. Oh. They were closer to the school than he'd thought. A few more blocks and they'd be walking next to the large stone wall that surrounded the school grounds. When had they even walked into the city? He must have been more lost in his day-dreaming than he'd thought.

“Sorry, Chi,” he said. “Guess I spaced out for a second there.”

“It's all right,” Chi-Chi said, squeezing his hand. “I don't mind.”

Glancing over to her, Goku saw her smile and watched her eyes brighten. She was so close, walking hand-in-hand, but so incredibly close even beyond the touch. He could smell her in the midst of all the normal flowery springtime scents. Oh and that distant whiff of rain – but _her_ above it all if he concentrated hard enough thanks to how she was practically leaning against him at this point.

Before he could spark up another conversation, his phone buzzed from inside his jeans pocket. He yelped, stopped in place, and grabbed the phone, shrugging at Chi-Chi when his eyes read the name of the caller. His brother.

Flipping the phone up to his ear, he answered. “Hey, Rad -”

“ _You jerk of a little brother!”_

Goku blinked. “Huh?”

“ _How dare you not wait on me!”_ Raditz snapped from the other end. _“You expect me to just remember how to get to your lame ass school? I've only been there once or twice, you know!”_

Holding his staff in the crook of his arm for the moment, Goku reached up to scratch his cheek. “Uhm. Are you at home? You could ask Grandpa. Or call Yamcha. Yeah, hold on, why are you calling me and not Yamcha right now?”

“ _Can't,”_ Raditz grumbled over the line. _“He sent in a text earlier saying he was getting ready with the other contestants.”_

“Wait, what?” Goku's eyes widened and he quickly turned to his girlfriend. “Chi, you need to -”

Only to find his words swallowed. And to find his back against a stone wall. Fingers gripping into his hoodie, pulling him down. Mouth against his. Tongue tapping his own.

Chi-Chi kept the kiss going long enough to drag a moan out of him before she stepped back and smiled. “Sorry. I think I need the luck.”

“Oh. Uhm,” he blinked, hand wrapping around his staff when she picked it up and handed it to him because he must have dropped it at some point. “That's fine.”

Another smile from her, the wind tossing her black hair for a moment, and then she raced away. Right. If what Raditz said was true, then Yamcha and the other contestants were already being gathered. Chi-Chi could be late, so she had to hurry. Still, Goku found it to be a little hard to focus and breathe as he watched her run off down the sidewalk.

“ _So...did you just get kissed or something?”_

Feeling his face heat, Goku pulled away from the wall and tried to keep his voice steady when he responded. “Shut up.”

~!~

After giving clear directions to his older brother, Goku slipped his phone back into his pocket and made his way to the school. He really was surprised by how close he was to the block of high school buildings. He must have been enjoying Chi-Chi's company far more than he thought, even after being made aware that he'd lost track of his steps.

His hand was now in his pocket, but he could still feel the warmth from where his fingers had been entwined with hers. He could still smell the scent of her hair drifting away on the wind. If he was lucky, that special touch of hers would stay latched onto his arm or hoodie. It would be kind of nice to smell her in his own clothes. Huh. Would that mess with his own scent, though? Did Chi-Chi like the way _he_ smelled? He'd never thought of that before -

“Oh, Goku!”

He blinked and turned his head at the voice, seeing his blue-haired friend climbing out of a long, sleek, black car. Bulma wasn't the one driving, but instead was being dropped off at the front of the school. She _could_ drive, as far as he remembered, but she didn't normally “waste the effort,” as she would say.

So it wasn't all too surprising to watch her climb out of one of her dad's vehicles, the Capsule Corporation decals lining the black sides. It _was_ a little surprising to see her alone. He'd have thought Vegeta would want to come watch the tournament, too.

In fact, as she walked over to him, Goku asked the question on his mind. “Hey, Bulma, where's Vegeta?”

She stopped in her tracks and crossed her arms, scowling at a bird hopping on the pavement. Her fingers toyed with the light white jacket she wore, the blue-and-white strapless shirt tight against her chest underneath the jacket. He'd always known that Bulma tended to wear the more revealing outfits – even her pants were tight around her legs – but he'd never thought or really cared for such things. Chi-Chi's casual clothes were cuter anyway.

“Vegeta's not coming,” Bulma huffed after a while. “I _thought_ we were going to treat the tournament like a date since he's not going to be competing.”

Goku blinked. “So what happened?”

“That jerk decided he was going to sulk in my father's basement gym all day, that's what!” Bulma snapped before her eyes looked over Goku and then lit up brightly. She was at his side in the next instant, looping her arms around his free one. “Oh, Goku, why don't you be my date instead?”

“H-huh?” Furrowing his eyebrows, he stared down at where their arms were locked. “But, Bulma, I can't date you. I already have a girlfriend.”

“I know that! You're here to watch Chi-Chi, I know,” Bulma huffed, tightening her hold on his arm much to his discomfort. “I didn't mean I wanted you to actually be my boyfriend or anything.”

“Oh, then what -”

“Just treat it like a friend date,” Bulma said, beginning to tug him passed the school entrance through the gathering crowd, heedless of the fact that he should be using the pole to help him walk. “Vegeta's not here and Yamcha's fighting. You're the only guy friend I have left.”

“Huh, but Krillin -”

“Krillin's fighting, too,” she deadpanned before stopping outside the gym under the roof's eaves and facing him with a pout. “Please, Goku? It's just so I don't have to be alone on the sidelines.”

Tilting his head, Goku met her bright blue eyes and grimaced a little when he noticed a shine of tears forming. He didn't understand why she was making this a big deal. He was already planning to sit or stand with her on the sidelines because they were friends, so why all that stuff about it being a friend date? Was it something girls understood and he just called hanging out? That must be it. Girls were weird.

“Oh. Uhm. Sure, I guess?” He didn't really want to make her upset, either; Bulma was kind of annoying when she was upset. “I wasn't going to leave you to watch it all alone anyway, you know.”

Hopping to his side again, her arm stayed looped in his, though now her cheek rubbed against his shoulder. “Oh, you're so sweet sometimes. Don't worry. I'll give you back to Chi-Chi after the tournament.”

“Huh?”

Now he was _sure_ he was missing something. Whatever this 'friend date' was, he was beginning to wonder if Chi-Chi would approve. Or misunderstand if she saw Bulma clinging to him. To be honest, Goku didn't particularly like the way his blue-haired friend was dragging him around right now. Besides the fact that it brought a twinge to his leg because of the sudden rush in his steps, he didn't like how Bulma was suddenly in charge of where they were going to stand.

Then again, Goku was used to being a participant in these tournaments. He'd never been in the audience before. Maybe there was a reason she was pushing her way through the crowd – and taking him with her.

In the end, Goku sighed and let Bulma lead the way. She did manage to pull them right up to the front of the roped off area. The main martial arts ring was set up off to the side of the gym, other sections currently closed off for other events right now. But in this section, they had bleachers surrounding the ring and an area for standing all the way around the floor mats that were set up along every side of the raised ring. Well, the audience spot was around three sides, not all of them, because there was the one side where the contestants entered, coming in from a curtained off area where they could warm up without being seen. Bulma had pulled him right to the front and center part of the standing area, right up close where he'd be able to see and maybe even hear the contestants without any issue.

Just staring at the ring sent a thrill through his veins. How many times had he climbed up there himself to tackle his opponents? How many times had he walked away the victor? Beyond the winnings, he could still feel the rush of each fight like it was yesterday. His hand clenched around his grandfather's pole, his knuckles turning white as his mind flashed through all the memories only to remind him of his current state.

He'd never get to fight like that again.

“Hey,” Bulma whispered next to him, releasing her awkward hold on his arm. “Goku?”

“Hm?”

His voice didn't want to work, feeling caught in his throat. His ears had already drowned out the bustling sound of the gathering audience, the many murmuring voices all around. His eyes were caught on the empty tournament ring in front of him, replaying fights from the past.

At least until Bulma snapped her fingers in front of his face. “How's your grandfather doing?”

“Huh?” Goku blinked, turning his attention to her. “Oh, he's fine.”

The memories of his fights slipped away and in their place, he brought up images of his grandfather. Adopted he may be, but Goku was still closely attached to the man who had raised him. In the back of his mind, he knew all the little signs were out there, signs that Grandpa Gohan was getting older and weaker with each passing year. He'd been taking medicine for his heart for a while, but Goku suspected something had been tampered with thanks to the bills related to the gang fight that had landed Goku in the hospital. Now, his grandfather, who would have normally come to a tournament match like this, was sick in bed, not feeling well enough to move around his own house, much less leave home at all.

“He'll be fine,” Goku murmured. “He's just a little too weak to travel right now.”

Bulma offered a small smile. “Yeah, I'm sure he'll be fine, Goku. He's a tough old man. I bet he would have loved to see Chi-Chi fight, too.”

“Yeah,” Goku laughed, feeling the tension in his body release. “He won't stop talking about her, you know. I think he likes her.”

“Well, too bad for him,” Bulma said. “'Cause I'm pretty sure she likes you.”

Feeling a warmth tickle his chest, Goku felt his lips turn up in a smile as he nodded. “Yeah.”

“And,” Bulma said while nudging his arm. “You like her. Actually, I'll bet it's more than that now. You two really are something else.”

“Hm? You think?”

“I do more than think. I know.” With a hum, Bulma glanced around the gym, turning back to him with a teasing grin. “Why do you think I insisted on a friend date with you all of a sudden? Just this one time. Pretend to be close to me before you attach to her completely.”

Although he still didn't understand what she meant by all this, Goku recognized the teasing atmosphere, so he raised an eyebrow and gave a lopsided grin back to her. “Yeah, okay.”

~!~

When the announcer finally stepped up to the center of the ring with a microphone, Goku brought both of his hands to the rope barrier, leaning forward in anticipation. His heart was starting to race from all the excitement. Whether he was fighting or not, it didn't matter. He loved watching martial arts in action, and especially when it was Chi-Chi. He couldn't wait for her turn.

His red pole was in its sheath at his back. He was all set and prepared to stand here the entire time. As the announcer told the audience the basic rules and setup, Goku's eyes drifted around him to the large curtain divider on the other side of the ring. Chi-Chi was back there. Was she nervous? Yamcha and Krillin would probably help her if she was, since Goku couldn't be there himself.

Of course, Tien was back there, too. Who knew what that guy was thinking? Goku's hands gripped tighter to the rope barrier. He couldn't wait to see Chi-Chi fight Tien. He knew it would be worth it. He knew she could win.

Hearing Chi-Chi's name out loud, Goku blinked his attention back to the announcer. Was he already going over the order of matches? Was Chi-Chi first? Who was she fighting?

“She's in the third match, Goku,” Bulma said next to him. “You look like you're dazing out again. You okay?”

“Huh?” Goku blinked, then turned to her with a smile. “Yeah, I'm fine.”

Third match.

Then he had time. Of course Krillin and Yamcha were going to fight at some point, too. He really should have been paying more attention.

Before he could ask Bulma about his other friends and their position in the matches, Goku's cell phone buzzed in his pants for the second time that day. He took a moment to even process that someone was calling him, but then remembered Raditz still hadn't shown up to the tournament yet. Sure enough, when he pulled his phone out of his pocket, he could see his brother's name flashing on the little screen.

With another confused blink, Goku flipped the phone up to his ear. “Hey, Rad -”

“ _You jerk of a little brother!”_

Well that sounded familiar. “Huh? What now?”

“ _I'm at your school but I have no clue where this tournament is supposed to be happening. And there's too much going on and too many people to figure it out. You didn't tell me this was some big festival event!”_

“Heh, shouldn't Yamcha have told you that much?”

A beat of silence, then a mumbled murmur. _“He probably did. But it doesn't matter! Get your ass out here and show me where to go!”_

Light laughter escaped him. “All right, all right, I'm coming.”

“ _Good. I'm at the front.”_

“Mmkay,” Goku said, hanging up and turning to Bulma. “I'll be right back, Bulma. My brother -”

“Yeah, I heard,” Bulma hummed. “Yamcha has the first match, Goku.”

First match for Yamcha? That meant he had to get Raditz in here soon. They were about to start. Goku really didn't want to miss watching any of the fights – and especially not any of his friends – but he had a bad feeling when it came to leaving Raditz alone outside the school. If his brother was left to sit outside for too long in an anxious or irritable mood, there was no telling what he'd do.

Taking hold of his red staff, Goku turned away from the tournament ring for now as he gave a nod to Bulma. “All right. I'll hurry.”

“Just don't forget to let Raditz know,” Bulma said. “He might slow you down otherwise.”

“Yeah,” Goku laughed. “Don't worry. I'll tell him.”

Thankfully, it didn't take him long to find Raditz. A little effort to get through the crowd in the gym, but once he was out in the open, spotting his brother was easy. Maybe part of it went into how distinct his hairstyle was, wild and randomly spiked like Goku's own but also incredibly long. Or maybe it didn't take him long to find his brother because Raditz was in his typical easily-spotted military garb. Goku wasn't sure of the name or if he was breaking any rules, but he sure was used to seeing those camouflage pants and heavy boots with the white tank. And those ever-present dog tags around his neck.

Raditz had attracted a little attention outside of the school, but thankfully his brother didn't seem aware of the curious finger pointing. Or he was ignoring it. Either way, the man was leaning against the stone wall next to the entrance, staring at something off to the side and seemingly lost in thought.

Walking up, Goku had no problem grinning. It always was nice seeing his older brother in town again. Raditz's military life kept him away far too often.

“Hey.”

Eyes snapped to him immediately, a familiar half-smirk forming on his brother's face. “Took you long enough.”

Putting a hand behind his head, Goku shrugged. “Eh, crowd's kind of big.”

“Hm,” Raditz grunted, eyes taking in the staff at Goku's side. “So that bastard really did shoot you, huh?”

“Uh, yeah,” Goku sighed. “Well, it was Launch who had the gun, but...yeah.”

Silence drifted between them for a moment, an awkward sense in the spring air. Goku thought he was done explaining to people what had happened that night of the gang fight, but he guessed it really wouldn't ever end. There would always be someone else out there who needed or wanted to know.

“Damn it, little brother,” Raditz grumbled, walking over to slide an arm across his shoulders. “I'm the one in the military here. My ass has a target far more often than yours. I'm supposed to be the one suffering a serious injury at some point. You know battle scars are a plus to some people.”

“Really? To who? Yamcha?”

A strange sounding chocked groan escaped his brother. There was no direct answer to the question, either. Raditz simply pulled away from Goku, waving his hand in the air as if dismissing the topic altogether. With his brother's eyes refusing to meet his gaze, Goku wondered if this was what _he_ looked like when Raditz teased him. Well, whether it was or not, it was still kind of nice to be able to throw the feeling back at his older brother. Finally.

“Whatever,” Raditz grumbled. “Where's this tournament at? I'm not late, am I?”

Eyes widening, Goku gripped tighter to his staff as he turned around quickly. “We might be now. Yamcha was supposed to be in the first match and I think they were about to start so -”

“You jerk of a little brother!”

At the news, Raditz suddenly sprang forward, rushing by Goku without even looking back. As his brother disappeared into the festival crowd, Goku stood by with his pole planted firmly in the ground, watching his brother push through people with a purpose. In the wrong direction. Of course. Goku was only out here instead of in the tournament audience right now because he needed to show his brother the way.

“Oh man,” Goku sighed, scratching at his head. “I hope he doesn't get lost doing that.”

Hopefully, Raditz would realize his mistake soon and come rushing back just as suddenly as he had left. Goku didn't want to sit here waiting for too long. Though he guessed he could probably call Raditz to get his attention. Or he could just start walking toward the gym. His brother shouldn't be wandering around for _too_ long. He was sure to notice and head back, so Goku could make his way to the tournament area and Raditz would be able to spot him eventually, as long as he took his time at least.

He wasn't too worried about missing anything yet. Bulma would have told him if Tien was set to fight anyone they knew right away. All she had said was that Yamcha was first and Chi-Chi was third. He wasn't sure where Krillin had landed, but he had a good feeling about it all. There was no need to get upset and worry about missing Yamcha's first fight; he'd be fine.

So with a relaxed smile, Goku set a hand in his orange hoodie pocket and walked toward the gym. A breeze ruffled through his hair, the smell of rain on the air. Oh, right. He'd had that feeling of incoming rain earlier, too. Glancing up to the sky, he frowned at the sight of gathering clouds. Well. At least they would be inside, but some of the other school festival activities might be interrupted.

“Hey!”

At the voice, Goku paused and turned a grin as his brother came forward. “Hey, Raditz. It's this way, you know.”

“No, I didn't know,” Raditz grumbled, falling into step beside Goku as he continued his way to the school gym. “Why do you think I – whatever. Do you have to use that pole _everywhere_ you go?”

Goku sighed, palm gripping tightly around the red pole in question even as he used it to aid with the limp in his step. “Yeah. Pretty much. Grandpa gave it to me after they let me out of the hospital. And Chi-Chi kinda insists I use it all the time.”

“So you walk everywhere now,” Raditz murmured. “Is that why your bike was still at the house?”

“Ah hah, well, I didn't take it today because Chi-Chi doesn't trust me on it with her, but I can still ride my bike.”

“Really?”

As Goku nodded in response, his brother changed his stride to glance over at the pole while they walked. Maybe he was looking at the leg in question or just taking a moment to gape with raised eyebrows. The shock wasn't really a surprise to see. Not many people believed he could do much with his leg anymore. Honestly, it was fun to see their reactions when he explained what he'd figured out he could do. Sure, he had a few more limitations now and some things were more difficult, but it didn't mean he was suddenly useless. In fact, seeing the wide-eyed amazement from his brother especially made him grin.

“Yeah, it was a little difficult to manage without falling at first,” he said. “But it was kinda like learning how to ride all over again. It feels different and I have to be careful with how I use my weight, but I can still ride just fine.”

Raditz's gaping mouth turned into a smile. “That's pretty impressive little brother.”

Goku's grin widened and he went on. “I can still fight, too. It's not the same and they'll never let me into a tournament or anything 'cause I have to rely on the pole too much -”

“But you can still fight.”

“Yep!” Goku laughed, reaching up to scratch his cheek. “I don't think Chi-Chi's really comfortable with the idea of it, but she doesn't try to stop me or anything.”

A chuckle from his brother. A fist to his shoulder. Shared grins as Raditz shook his head.

“Man, you really are something else sometimes,” Raditz said. “After all this, I definitely am due a meeting with this girlfriend of yours. She must really be worth it to you.”

“She is,” Goku beamed. “You can see her fight today, too. She's going to beat Tien for me.”

Although Raditz murmured something in response, Goku's mind wandered at the very reminder. He couldn't wait to see it. Chi-Chi fighting was always such an experience, like watching a show he couldn't tear his eyes from. So much preparation and training had gone into this moment, too. Working together to make sure she would -

A hand on his shoulder broke him from the day-dreams. “All right, stop fantasizing and take me to this tournament. I'm actually here for Yamcha, remember?”

“R-right,” Goku muttered, blushing a little as he raised his free hand toward the nearby gym building. “It's right over there. We're not far, and we'll be out of the rain if it decides to come down anytime soon.”

“You noticed that too?” Raditz hummed. “I don't like it. I kept expecting it to rain on my way here, but it never did and now it's just hovering. Kinda like a bad omen.”

Goku blinked, turning to his brother. “You think so?”

Raditz shrugged, waving it off. “Just a weird feeling is all. You get those sometimes when you grow up in a military. But, anyway, I'm sure it's fine. Don't worry about anything. Your girl's gonna do great.”

Even though he was completely confident in Chi-Chi's abilities, the new information from his brother about a bad omen in the air did make him frown. “I sure hope so...”

~!~

By the time Goku made it back to Bulma's side in the audience, the crowd was already beginning to build. It happened almost every year. The crowd of students and visitors would start small in the section marked off for the martial arts tournament – after all, there were plenty of other festival events to check out – but one of the earlier matches would always spark an interest. Through word of mouth, more and more people would show up to watch the tournament until the place was practically packed by the final match.

Of course, Goku had never been in the audience before. He'd watched the crowd sizes grow as he went from one match to the next. Today, he was able to notice the subtle growth simply because of how he had to navigate through everyone to get back to the spot Bulma seemed to grab every year. This time, Bulma wasn't alone in the audience, either, but no one raised too much of a fuss when they were asked to make room for Goku and Raditz up front.

After all, most students would know Goku as a previous champion if they didn't know him from class. And, well, Raditz had his own way of carving out a spot to stand, whether it was because of the military garb or the sheer disposition of Raditz's displeased face. Whatever the case, here they were, and Goku was quick to slide his pole back into the sheath at his back and set his hands on the rope barrier.

His eyes roamed the tournament stage, noticing Tien was heading back to the contestant area. The bald fighter of the Crane Gang turned back on a whim and managed to catch Goku's gaze. Setting his jaw, Goku glared back, mentally reminding himself that Chi-Chi would be the one to wipe the obnoxious smirk from Tien's face. All he needed was the patience to withstand the tournament until the time came.

“Hey,” Raditz said beside him. “Did we miss Yamcha's fight?”

He blinked and turned away from Tien to face his brother. Raditz was fidgeting with the rope barrier with one hand, but he was otherwise facing Goku – or rather, leaning a little to be able to face Bulma. Adding up the details he knew, Goku could understand the slight annoyance in his brother's attitude. They knew Yamcha had been in the first match, but they weren't sure who he had been fighting. And now there was no sign of Yamcha on stage – just Tien stepping away, clearly the victor of his own match.

Chewing the inside of his cheek, Goku turned to his blue haired friend, trying not to imagine the worst for his other friend. “Uhm, Bulma, did he -”

“Oh, stop worrying,” Bulma said with a roll of her eyes. “Yamcha won his match pretty quickly. I doubt you even had the chance to get here in time to see it. Not that it was much to watch in the first place. Neither was Tien's for that matter. Over and done with in no time.”

“Huh, that makes sense, I guess,” Goku said as he shifted his gaze back to the tournament ring. “Our school is one of the few in the area with a good martial arts training program. Ours and the one Tien goes to. So it's not surprising for them to make quick work out of everyone else.”

“Well,” Bulma muttered. “There's quite a few family lines out there, too. Like Vegeta.”

“Nah. Not as good as Vegeta.”

A fist to his shoulder made him glance to his brother. “Yeah, well, your girl is part of one of those family lines, isn't she? Didn't you say something about how she learned from her father and wasn't a part of any school group?”

Splashes of heat crossed his face as Goku returned his gaze to the tournament stage. Just in time to catch Chi-Chi climbing into the ring. Her hand was at her chest and he could tell she was breathing hard as she glanced around the crowd. When her eyes finally landed on him, Goku made sure to smile and give her a little wink of encouragement. She seemed to relax as she giggled and nodded back at him. This was Chi-Chi's first time in a tournament, but he was sure she'd do fine if she could keep from being too nervous.

“She's not as good as Vegeta,” Goku admitted to his brother quietly. “But she's still amazing. You'll see.”

Beside him, Raditz grunted. “So you keep saying. All right, brother, I guess we're all about to see what your girl can do.”

As Goku nodded, he kept his eyes on Chi-Chi. She had taken her place across from her opponent, her face setting into that narrow-eyed gaze of concentration. Her hair was in a ponytail, tied with a red ribbon to match the bands at her wrists and pants underneath her special dress. She took a moment to breathe and then bow to her opponent, prompting Goku to finally tug his eyes away in order to check out the other person in the ring.

The guy was of a smaller build, almost child-like, though there was something familiar about him. Or something familiar about the dark blue, almost black, _gi_. Goku frowned, squinting his eyes to stare at the symbol on the _gi_. It really did look like something he had seen before, but where? Not to mention how the eyes and hair were so similar to -

“Huh,” he muttered. “He kinda looks like a younger Vegeta when you really look at him, don't you think?”

Bulma chuckled, poking at his arm. “That would be because he's Vegeta's younger brother. His name is Tarble. I think.”

“ _What?_ ” Goku exclaimed, swerving his head to Bulma instantly, eyes wide. “Vegeta has a brother? I thought he was an only child.”

“Oh, no, I'm sure there's even more brothers of his hiding around somewhere. Well, it wouldn't surprise me if more showed up one day at least.”

“H-huh?”

Goku blinked, trying to follow his friend's thought process, pulling up all the information he could remember about Vegeta. Which didn't end up being a whole lot. All he knew was that Vegeta came from a long prestigious family line in the martial arts world, dating back all the way to when royal families were still a thing. Vegeta's rivalry with Goku was based heavily on family pride, as if Goku had ruined their honor by besting someone from that family line over and over.

So that _gi_ really was familiar. It was the same one Vegeta wore. Blue and black with hints of red in the symbol over the heart. Must be a symbol of family pride…

“Wait,” Goku said, squinting his eyes in thought again. “If that's Vegeta's brother, why didn't Vegeta come to support him? Why haven't I ever heard of him before?”

Bulma sighed. “He's kind of a disgrace in the family. They don't want anything to do with him. He's not a bad kid, though. Honestly, he's got far better manners than Vegeta, but it doesn't matter. Regardless of how hard Tarble tries to please them, Vegeta will always be the prodigy. No one else matters in that family right now.”

From his other side, Raditz scoffed. “That's fucked up. Sounds like something you'd hear about happening in my country. It's supposed to be more 'civilized' over here.”

Bulma shrugged. “Can't take all the traditions out of the family life when you get an upgrade on society.”

“Upgrade on…?” Raditz mumbled with a raised eyebrow. “The hell are you on about?”

“Well, _you're_ the one who said more civilized.”

“I did not.”

“Yes, you did. Just now. You -”

Glancing between his brother and friend, Goku cracked an awkward smile and decided he was better off staying out of that discussion. Besides, the fight was about to start. The tournament announcer had already given the needed cue and now Chi-Chi and Tarble were standing across from each other with appropriate stances, sizing each other up with steady glares.

Chi-Chi looked completely in the zone, but Tarble was showing his apparent inexperience. Just in the way he was standing now. Like he was staring at Chi-Chi's form and second-guessing his own.

Goku sighed. He wanted Chi-Chi to win. He was going to cheer for her the whole way. But he couldn't help feeling a little sorry for Vegeta's brother now that he knew some of the kid's story. There was no doubt the boy was out of his element on a tournament ring. Whereas Chi-Chi assumed her role gracefully.

With a groan, Goku slumped forward a little, ignoring the squabble going on between his brother and blue haired friend. “Aw man. Knowing all that almost took the fun out of it.”

“What?” Raditz said, punching his arm again. “Hey, little brother, focus on your girl. Everyone else always has their own stories in these things. Yours is the most important right now. Yours and hers. After all, she's here to win for you because of what Tien did, right?”

At the reminder, Goku blinked and glanced to his older brother. Raditz was only here to watch Yamcha, but it wasn't like Yamcha was fighting for anyone but himself. Of course Raditz was here to be supporting anyway, but it was a different situation entirely than what Goku and Chi-Chi were currently experiencing.

Chi-Chi may have joined the tournament originally to fight for herself, but now she was fighting for Goku. After everything they had been through this year, Chi-Chi had put extra work and dedication into her martial arts for _his_ sake. Raditz was right. Everyone had their own stories, their own motivations. But Chi-Chi's story revolved around Goku. Just as his revolved around her now.

With a grin, he faced the tournament ring again. Dark eyes found his even with the distance and he had to swallow the cheers on his tongue, finding his mind to be a whirl of activity. He watched as she took a deep, slow breath before turning back to her opponent, and Goku soon had to take a deep breath of his own.

That look of hers had been a reminder all on its own. She really _was_ doing this for him. A warm feeling tingled up from his feet to his face before settling down in his chest, and he changed his grin into a soft smile as he held onto the rope in front of him. Chi-Chi had been set to join the tournament long before they were even a couple, but she had turned the whole event into a gift for him, regardless of what any previous motivations had existed.

Watching her dance and fly across the stage now sent all kinds of strange feelings through his body. He could barely breathe as his eyes followed each precise and calculated, polished movement. She was dedicated to her goal, pushing herself through the fight without any sign of nerves, and no sign of holding back either.

In no time at all, Chi-Chi was declared the victor of the third match. After her traditional bow at the end of the fight, she turned to him and Goku had to repress the urge to jump the rope barrier and kiss her right there. He had to remember there were other people. There were rules and organization to follow.

While the steady, slightly-bored applause sparked through the crowd, Goku kept his eyes on Chi-Chi. After a moment, she grinned back at him and then nodded, as if understanding every sense of gratitude he was trying to send her. Slender fingers lifted and waved, and he felt the heat rise to his face even as she giggled and turned away to walk back to the area curtained off for contestants.

Doubts still flitted through his mind about her fight with Tien, but at this point...he didn't even care. She was going to win. He was _sure_ of it. And even if for some reason she didn't, he was going to love her more all the same. And he was going to make sure she knew how much.


	18. Part 16: I Fought For You (section 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tournament continues. From Chi-Chi's point of view.

 

~!~

Walking back to the curtained off area was the hardest part. After getting a chance to see Goku on the sidelines, to know he was watching, she didn't want to step away. She wanted to hug him and thank him for looking at her like that, but the most she could manage in the moment was a smile and a small wave. The crowd sure didn't seem all too enthusiastic, but Goku was practically hanging at the edge of the rope barrier, eyes shining after watching her performance.

Whether or not the fight itself had been easy, Chi-Chi found herself filled with new determination. The crowd could be as lackluster as they wanted. Goku was going to cheer for her no matter what; he was here to support and admire. And she was here for him.

With the match called, Chi-Chi walked over to the edge of the ring to offer up a hand and help up the younger kid she had so easily beaten. Considering his small build, he must have only been a first year in high school. A younger brother to Vegeta maybe? Then again, though his hairstyle was similar to Vegeta's, those eyes told a completely different story. The kid accepted her hand and smiled, a spark of disappointment clear in the way his shoulders slumped as he mumbled something and walked off into the crowd. She almost felt bad for him, but she only had to walk back to the contestant area to remind herself of her current goal.

Tien was sitting against the divider, legs crossed, seemingly in some trance or meditative state. He didn't appear to care about any of the competition here. Well, Chi-Chi was here to prove that his cruel deeds wouldn't go unpunished. After what he had done to Goku…

“Hey, Chi-Chi.”

At the voice, she blinked her focus away from her primary objective. One step at a time. She had to climb the ranks first before she could face Tien in battle and beat him. For now, she turned a smile to Krillin, who was getting ready to be called out for his first match of the day.

“Nice job out there,” Krillin said, hands on his _gi_ belt. “You really do have a unique style to your movements, huh?”

Chi-Chi shrugged, reaching up to adjust her ponytail. “I guess. I've had to tweak a few of the typical motions, but you have to do that, too, don't you?”

Krillin looked a little taken aback by the statement, but he gave a short laugh and a shrug of his own. The thing about martial arts wasn't so much about learning techniques, but in finding ways to use those abilities with your own personal body type. Not everyone was gifted with the same build, after all, and then you had to adjust some things based on who you were fighting, too.

Granted, Chi-Chi wasn't the most experienced when it came to fighting other people. She'd only taught herself things here and there, using it as a work out more than any sort of sport – and of course having the ability to defend herself when needed. Well, most of the time. Shaking away upsetting thoughts, she pushed herself to smile as her mind drifted back to Goku. He'd spent so much time these past few weeks working with her to give her practice where she'd been at a loss beforehand. Now she just had to wonder if it was enough.

“Hey, Krillin,” Yamcha said as he sauntered over. “You ready to pound your rival into dust?”

A glance over her shoulder to follow Yamcha's gesture and Chi-Chi found her eyes staring at the painted face of the smallest member of the Crane Gang. Dressed in a green and yellow _gi_ of his own, Chiaotzu grinned back at them, sending a shiver down her spine. She sure hoped Krillin would be able to beat his apparent rival. Chi-Chi had only banked on facing one member of the Crane Gang today; she didn't want to spend her energy on anyone else.

Of course, if Krillin won his match, then…

The sound of the Announcer broke her away from her thoughts, and Chi-Chi joined Yamcha in wishing Krillin luck. She didn't remember much about her time with the Crane Gang – they'd drugged her shortly after kidnapping her – but she did know she wasn't comfortable around any of them. So even if it meant she had to fight Krillin to get to the top, she'd rather him than the mysterious Chiaotzu. Besides, Goku's friends seemed to have their own goals of getting revenge for what had happened.

Which made sense. They were close to Goku. They'd want to do what they could, too. Even if Chi-Chi wanted to go the extra mile, his friends shouldn't be counted out of the competition. She really should have thought about as much beforehand.

Bringing a shaking hand to her chest, Chi-Chi took a breath and gulped back the nerves that hit her. A glance to the two fighters who had exited to the stage and she let her breath out in a slow, steady stream of air. She stepped up to the little break in the curtain divider, standing next to Yamcha. A cheer erupted behind them where some other game was taking place – all sorts of events were happening for the school festival, from indoor sports to outdoor concerts to fun festival style booth challenges – but they paid no attention, keeping their eyes trained on the next tournament match.

A match for a gang rivalry that would take place in the safety of a school tournament. There weren't any tricks to pull this time. Chiaotzu was going to fight Krillin in the fairest environment possible.

And Tien didn't seem worried in the least, since he just sat there without saying a word or looking over at all.

Well. Chi-Chi was going to cheer for Krillin. They weren't exactly on teams here and he may well be her next opponent in the ring, but any blow to the Crane Gang at this point would make her feel better. She didn't know a thing about Krillin's capabilities, but she sure hoped Goku's friend had it in him.

Looking out to the audience on the other side of the tournament stage, Chi-Chi smiled. Goku was clinging to the rope barrier, looking on with full attention. If anything, Krillin winning this match would be sure to make him happy. And that's all she could really ask for in the end.

~!~

Krillin's fight lasted far longer than any of the first three. Chi-Chi watched as the two practically rolled around the tournament ring, returning blows in a masterful fashion. No wonder they were rivals. She could almost feel the energy they threw into their attacks, could almost taste the adrenaline in the air. All the while, the crowd grew in size as more and more people turned a curious eye to the match.

Chi-Chi found herself hanging on every move, wondering what the outcome would be, worrying for her friend, for Goku's friend. At some point, her eyes glanced away from the match itself only to see that Goku was no longer at the rope barrier. Bulma was there and some person Chi-Chi wanted to assume was Goku's brother because of the hair and facial structure, and, well, the military uniform, too, since she'd been told that Raditz was in the military. But her boyfriend had disappeared.

Clenching her fist, Chi-Chi mumbled under her breath as her eyes scanned the crowd. “Where did you go? You should be supporting your friend. He's fighting for you, too.”

“Hm?” Yamcha murmured. “You talking about Goku?”

With a blink, she turned her face to catch Yamcha's quick glance. His gaze seemed to be focused on the match, but after a moment he gave a small smirk. Before she could ask, his arm lifted, pointing toward one of the gym's exits.

“He's over there,” Yamcha said. “Looks like he's talking to someone important.”

_Someone important?_

Her heart jumped in her throat. Was Goku talking with the national team scouts? Had he found them? Had they found him? No, wait, why would he -?

Thoughts breaking at the sight of her massive father, Chi-Chi let a spark of relieved laughter escape from her lips. “Oh. Papa showed up.”

“That's your _dad_?” Yamcha exclaimed. “He's huge!”

A light giggle left Chi-Chi's mouth as she nodded without another word. There was something _nice_ about watching Goku interacting with her father. If she remembered right, they had met in the hospital when she'd still been out of it. Goku must have spotted him in the crowd and gone over to talk, even if Krillin was in the middle of a fight. She had to keep her smile at the realization that her boyfriend would so easily step away from his great vantage point of the fighting to go spend time with her father of all people. _Nice_ felt like an understatement.

Now she was distracted from Krillin's fight as well. She stood there watching Goku laugh alongside her father, the curiosity burning inside her as she wondered what they could be discussing. Especially when her father pulled something out of his pocket to hand to Goku. Something that made her boyfriend raise his hands, eyes wide.

Chi-Chi leaned over, trying to peer through the distance to see what her father was handing over. She almost fell forward completely. When Yamcha shouted something so close to her, Chi-Chi lost her balance and had to grip tightly to the curtain divider in order to keep from tumbling down. Thankfully, she managed to keep upright, though her attention now moved to Yamcha and then to what Yamcha's gaze was so intently focused on.

“Krillin!” She gasped. “Oh no, hang on! Don't let him -”

Closing her eyes from the inevitable crash, Chi-Chi cut off her cry and bit her lip as she prayed for that thumping sound to not be what she thought. She'd seen Krillin on the ground, slowly getting to his feet with his hands on his head. And then Chiaotzu had appeared behind him. Behind where he couldn't see and didn't even seem to be aware… ready to kick the Turtle School fighter right in the back of the neck. That could be more than a winning blow. That could be a disqualifying kill.

She couldn't watch…

The crowd around the tournament ring seemed to suck in the air in the arena all at once – a giant gasp that was soon released in a roar of cheers. Chi-Chi winced at the sound, still not wanting to open her eyes and see the inevitable carnage. No one could move fast enough to block in that situation, not if he hadn't noticed, and how would he have with his position…

The crowd had to be cheering for Chiaotzu. And she really didn't want to see the results. The Crane Gang was ruthless, cruel. After what they'd done to Goku, there was no telling what they could do -

“Yeah!” Yamcha exclaimed. “That's the way, buddy. You got this!”

All of her anxious worrying came to a sudden halt in her mind as Yamcha's cheers processed. If he was cheering, then…

Blinking her eyes open, hesitantly, Chi-Chi gazed out at the tournament ring and felt her own gasp come loose. Followed by a smile and laugh as she clapped her hands together in relief. Krillin was fine. In fact, he was more than fine. He'd somehow managed to turn around and catch Chiaotzu's kick, and now he was holding the smaller competitor by the leg, one arm still up where he had blocked the attack. Krillin was grinning, too; she could see it from here. Of course he was, though. All he had to do now was toss the other kid outside the ring and it would be game over. His victory was practically assured.

Too bad wins against the Crane Gang weren't going to be that easy.

Krillin tossed the kid with the painted face, the green and yellow blurring through the air as Chiaotzu went flying toward the edge of the ring. Only to somehow grab the edge and pull his momentum around before he could fall to the ground. His movements were light as a feather, an almost effortless, impossible switch of direction as he landed on the ring's floor again, grinning at the shocked looks of Krillin and the rest of the crowd.

Yamcha screamed. “Oh come on! How is that even possible? That's got to be some kind of trick -”

“It is.”

At the voice behind her, Chi-Chi froze. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes traveled up a familiar shirtless contestant. Shirtless as if showing his muscles somehow intimidated the rest of them by showing off how much bigger, taller, and no doubt physically stronger he was… as if proving it was more than just his smug attitude. Well, she wasn't intimidated. She was still planning to crush him at this competition. Somehow.

Tien met her eyes as if reading her thoughts before he smirked and turned his attention to the ring again. “It is a trick. A legitimate martial arts trick, if you want to call it that. Or as close to the sky dancing technique as one can technically get. Chiaotzu's not the only one who can pull it off, either.”

Beside her, Yamcha glared with barely concealed rage. “Guess we're not winning by throwing you assholes out of the ring, then.”

Tien chuckled. “Oh, you're not winning at all. None of you are.”

Eyes widening, Chi-Chi turned back to the ring and tried to shake the nerves that crawled up her spine. If some special technique was going to make it impossible to throw Tien out of the ring, then… No, there could still be a way for her to beat him. She'd just have to work harder to find the opening she would need. She wouldn't let all that training go to waste. She'd find a way. She had to.

When – or if – she even got the chance to fight Tien in the ring herself.

_One step at a time, Chi-Chi. Don't panic before you even get there._

Taking a deep breath to force herself to calm, Chi-Chi cupped her hands by her mouth as she let a cheer rise within her and fly over the crowd's noise. “Keep going, Krillin. You can still do this!”

A movement in the crowd caught her eye and soon Chi-Chi looked away from Krillin's newfound determined stance to the large man that was her father in the back of the growing crowd. And the high school student standing next to him in a dark orange hoodie. Wild black hair shifting from an outside breeze. Dark eyes that lit up at meeting her gaze. And a warm smile that made her blush and shrug lightly in response.

Even separated as they were by the tournament ring and the crowd, Chi-Chi somehow managed to have a breath of a moment with Goku. A moment where everything else melted away and it was just them smiling at each other across the distance. The sound of scuffling, quick moving feet soon snapped their attention away from each other back to the fight at hand.

Clenching her hands by her side, Chi-Chi tried to keep her focus on the fight. But now her thoughts were running wild and she had to hope they would get a break after this round. Having to deal with all this intense nervousness and excitement on her own was driving her crazy.

Krillin and Chiaotzu danced across the tournament ring, an entirely new feel to the fight. Chiaotzu appeared to be even lighter on his feet than he was before, as if the necessity of revealing his technique now left him free to use it as often as he wished. Sky dancing. Chi-Chi had never heard of such a thing, though she could imagine Goku would know; he seemed to know everything about martial arts, a knowledge that rivaled her own practical school knowledge. Regardless, Chiaotzu definitely seemed lighter, dancing circles around Krillin, practically hovering in the air at some points. And Krillin was breathing heavy, no doubt growing tired from the exertion of their lengthy battle. It had gone on for so much longer than any of the previous ones. Probably longer than even she was aware, or at least far more emotional than any so far.

The fight had certainly grabbed more attention from the crowd as people came in making fun of the “midgets” fighting at first, only to be pulled in by the stunning display of the actual fight. Typical, she supposed. Martial arts sure wasn't the most popular thing at the school, but not every match was the expected quick exchange of blows that so often happened. So interest gathered as the fight progressed with more intensity in every movement, every punch, kick, and gasp of breath.

Chi-Chi kept her eyes on the ring for the most part, too. Watched them spring across the raised floor, first in one corner, then another. Chiaotzu laughed as if mocking Krillin and the Turtle School student flew into a frustrated rage. Chi-Chi winced and Yamcha groaned almost in time together as they both realized that Krillin was practically forfeiting the match by attacking without control. She clenched her hands by her sides. From the looks of it, she'd have to fight Chiaotzu next after all.

“Krillin!” Goku's distant but clear shout cut through the crowd. “Focus! You can find his weakness!”

A moment of silence followed the proclamation, turning heads in the crowd. Of course. Just like Goku to say or do something crazy and get the attention of everyone. A weakness? Where?

Chi-Chi turned back to the tournament ring. Krillin was staring at Goku, but so was Chiaotzu. The whole place had gone still as if some god had momentarily pressed pause. Not for long, though. She could take a breath. A sigh escaped her mouth.

And then at the very end of that subtle little pause, Krillin rushed into motion. The fight picked back up as Krillin lunged for the Crane Gang member, the one he considered a rival. Chiaotzu was able to dodge away but he was slower to react than expected. Well, slower now that Chi-Chi was actually studying him, looking for that weakness Goku had mentioned.

She wasn't sure what the weakness could actually be, but now she could notice Chiaotzu's slight hesitation anytime he had to jump to avoid something. As if he wasn't jumping with his weight but was instead having to concentrate for a brief moment in order to _push_ himself away from the ground. Which led to him making movements that were difficult to read because of the unexpected change of weight distribution. Chi-Chi squinted her eyes and frowned. Even as the thoughts hit her mind, she had to shake them away for how ridiculous she sounded. Wanting to understand had left her grasping at non-existing straws. Did she really even belong in this tournament if she couldn't follow all these strange techniques? Goku could. Goku belonged. But…

Her eyes snapped to Goku briefly and then snapped back to the match as the crowd reaction drew her focus once more. Instead of seeing the two trading (or dodging) blows, Chi-Chi gaped as she found Krillin and Chiaotzu _literally_ rolling along the tournament floor. Krillin must have managed to grab hold of Chiaotzu and grappled him down somehow, refusing to let go. Rolling around the floor like that… Her eyes couldn't look away, and then they were nearing the edge. She gasped along with Yamcha. Even Tien leaned forward, tense because of the uncertainty of the situation.

What would happen if they both fell out of the ring? Who would win? How would they decide? Were there any rules with such a specific instance?

Mind swimming with questions, Chi-Chi watched intently as Krillin and Chiaotzu rolled, tightly connected to each other in a rough and tumble grappling match. They hit the edge. A slight hesitation, a push back, one last attempt to slow, redirect, or disconnect from the roll. A failed attempt. In the next blink, only one of the fighters was left sitting on the tournament ring. Chi-Chi felt her mouth lift in a smile when she caught the green and yellow bundle curled up on the gym floor.

For a moment, everything was silent as the crowd slowly processed the somewhat anti-climatic end to the match. The adult in charge of announcing everything walked into the ring, rushing over the side. Some words were exchanged as Krillin tried to get to his feet and then fell back to a sitting position, breathing heavy but laughing.

“It appears that Chiaotzu is out of the ring!” The man announced into his microphone. “Krillin is the winner!”

Even as the crowd cheered, Chi-Chi jumped into the air. “Yes!”

“Great job, Krillin,” Yamcha muttered beside her. “Knew you could do it, buddy.”

A growl came from behind them, followed by Tien shoving his way past them. The leader of the Crane Gang rushed to the side of the ring where Chiaotzu was just now sitting up. Well, at least the jerk seemed to care about _someone_. Of course it would be his own crew members.

Tearing her eyes from the green and yellow of the Crane Gang members, Chi-Chi focused back on Goku's friend. Krillin was finally on his feet as well, though he was using the announcer to help him walk up to the curtained off area. Chi-Chi stepped forward, ready to congratulate the small, bald Turtle School student, but Yamcha beat her to it.

“Hey, nice job out there,” Yamcha said, patting his friend on the back. “You dizzy from all that rolling around?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Krillin laughed before his gaze shifted to the side and he frowned as he looked back up at the taller martial artist. “Be careful out there, Yamcha. Tien's gonna be pissed.”

“Hey, no sweat. I got this.”

After helping Krillin get to the curtain divider so he could have something to lean on, the tournament announcer glanced between all of them. “I'm going to take a short break before the semi-final matches. Fifteen minutes sound good to you, kids?”

Chi-Chi nodded, as did Yamcha and Krillin, though her thoughts instantly went somewhere else. “Great! I'll go say hi to Goku and my father.”

“You do that. Just make sure you're back here for your match, all right?”

Nodding again, Chi-Chi smiled. “I will. Thanks.”

She caught the teasing grins from both Yamcha and Krillin and gave them a playful glare in return. Turning away from the both of them, Chi-Chi set her eyes on her boyfriend's unmistakable, eye-catching, wild, black hair. She tried not to straight up run to him, but her steps did pick up significantly once she caught his grin.

He was still standing near the back of the crowd with her father, even as the announcement of a fifteen minute break was made. There definitely seemed to be more people in here than earlier. Were they really interested in the fighting or had they just come in because of the chance of rain? She shook her head. It didn't matter. Small or large crowd, she was still going to fight Tien for Goku, so as long as he stayed to watch, nothing else mattered.

“Hey, Chi,” Goku called as she walked up. “Guess you're gonna have to fight Krillin, huh?”

His eyes were shining as he said the words. One hand in his pocket, the other holding a can of some soda. Or maybe it was a fruit-based can of juice. She could never be sure with him. Either way, she found it a little concerning that he was standing while his pole was still at his back, but she supposed he could grab onto the edge of the nearby bleachers if he wanted.

“Yeah,” she answered after a while. “I'm glad he beat Chiaotzu.”

“Yeah! That was awesome!” Goku grinned, bringing his canned drink to his mouth. “I knew he could do it. Just like I know you can beat Tien.”

Warmth hit her cheeks. He was always so confident in her, and yet she was growing more worried after all she had witnessed. How could he possibly think she could beat Tien? Krillin had barely managed to win against Chiaotzu and she was starting to wonder if she could beat _him._

Loud, boisterous laughter filled the air, stopping Chi-Chi in her swarming thoughts. Eyes turned to the large man beside Goku. Her father, dressed in a special tailor-made casual business attire suit. Well, with all the land he owned and the multitude of connected farms he ran, it _was_ practically a business all on its own. She was amazed he had gotten time to come see her. He didn't usually have the option.

“Chi-Chi, you're not worried, are you?” her father asked. “I know you've been practicing those martial arts stances and forms in your room since you were real little. It's good you're finally testing yourself in a tournament like this.”

“Papa,” she murmured, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. “Honestly.”

“Well, I certainly can't complain. Your grades are perfectly fine and Goku here says you've even helped him out. You've been a busy girl, huh?”

Pink still in her face, Chi-Chi clenched her teeth and then snatched Goku's free hand right out of his pocket. “Dad, I'm glad you're here, but I want to talk to Goku for a second.”

“That's fine, Chi-Chi,” her father said, giving a teasing wink. “Go off and kiss your boyfriend. I won't mind.”

“I said _talk_ – not kiss!”

Hands touched her shoulders, her only warning. She probably should have seen it coming. When she turned her head to look up at Goku, he caught her lips in his without a word. Sweet and simple but with a little tease of his tongue before he pulled away, leaving her wide-eyed with her lips buzzing, aching for more.

“Goku,” she breathed, dropping her gaze into a glare even as she tried not to laugh. “I should hit you for that.”

“What?” Goku whined. “But your dad said it was okay. Besides, I thought that's what you actually wanted me to do, Chi.”

“And _that_ ,” she said, lifting up on her toes to land a peck of a kiss on his lips of her own volition this time, “is why I'm kissing you back instead.”

~!~

Chi-Chi did eventually manage to pull away from her father, face flushed as she continued to hold Goku's hand. Goku seemed perfectly content to let her drag him around to wherever she wanted. Of course she didn't _really_ drag him anywhere; she was considerably mindful of his leg, maybe too mindful, though his smile certainly didn't give away his thoughts on the matter. He did casually offer the last of his drink to her as they walked around the indoor gym.

A stomach growl and exchange of laughter led them to the concession stand that had been opened for all the festival events. The crowd was in full force, which made perfect sense considering the break given for the martial arts tournament. She had to wonder how many people were actually invested in the martial arts fighting. There were _plenty_ of other events in the gym alone. Then again, Krillin's match had brought in quite a few more onlookers. Or maybe she was just imagining it as more since now she was suddenly surrounded by them.

As they joined the long line, Chi-Chi glanced over at her boyfriend with a frown. “Goku.”

“Hm?” His eyes were clear, somehow bright even with dark color. “You worried about something?”

Well. He was getting good at reading her. Part of her had to wonder if he knew exactly what she was going to say. Was he trying to play innocent and ignore the issue? They'd been walking around the gym for at least five minutes and yet the red staff was still in its makeshift sheath at his back.

“Should you really be standing here without any support?”

He blinked, glanced over his shoulder as if trying to follow her gaze, then turned back to her with a laugh. “I'm fine, Chi-Chi. You don't have to worry. Besides, you're my support.”

Oh, the things he _said_ sometimes…

As much as the words sent her heart fluttering, she had to face him with eyes narrowed. “Don't be ridiculous. What if you fall? What if you twist something and make it worse? What if -”

“Hey, it's okay. I said I'm fine right now, Chi-Chi.” His hand rested on her shoulder. “Don't worry so much. I'll use Grandpa's staff if my leg starts hurting, but right now it really is fine.”

She huffed. “All right but I'm still worried.”

“I know,” Goku murmured before lifting his gaze away from her to the front of the line. “Did you want me to get you something to eat, too?”

Eyes widening, Chi-Chi dropped the grip she had on his hand and looked back towards the tournament area. She'd forgotten to bring money, not even noticing when they got in line. She'd dressed to fight so of course she didn't have a purse or wallet on her. She'd left that in her locker.

“I -”

Goku's laugh brought her attention back to him where she watched him pull out a wallet that looked to be on the verge of breaking because of how full it was. When he opened it, she could see that he indeed did have it full of money, too. Her mind swam. Goku wasn't exactly in higher society. His grandfather had struggled to pay expenses ever since the atrocious medical bills, so how…?

“Your dad,” Goku explained. “I tried to turn him down but he refused. I'm supposed to use most of this for physical therapy for my leg. He said you were working hard for me so he would do something, too. I'm kind of embarrassed. I didn't ever expect -”

“Oh, Goku!” Chi-Chi exclaimed. “That's wonderful!”

So _that's_ why he was so relaxed about walking without his staff. He'd been handed hope. Finally something good had been presented to him. She would have to remember to thank her father. He didn't normally like handing money out to people. And so much of it… Papa must really like Goku.

But who didn't?

Feeling the excited tears of emotion breaking free at the edge of her vision, Chi-Chi jumped for her boyfriend. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to hug him as close as she could. Just a hug for now. But a tight, tearful, happy one. They'd done enough kissing in public for one day. But this news made her heart soar and holding it in was impossible.

Goku was going to be okay after all. The best case option of being an official tournament fighter may be out of reach, but at least his leg could be fixed. At least he would still be able to fight in the future. At least the _chance_ of his fighting ability returning to normal now existed.

No wonder his grin was reaching all the way to his eyes. No wonder his eyes looked so bright.

All that was left to her now was to give her gift. A win against Tien would make the day perfect. She had to give it to him. Now more than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Kairi for giving me the reader perspective on my rough draft, and also thanks to Maiika for beta reading and giving editing suggestions. I'm glad I have you now to help me get this as clean as possible. Means a lot. ^_^


	19. Part 16: I Fought For You (section 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamcha fights Tien while Chi-Chi and Goku watch on the sidelines together. Then, it's Chi-Chi's turn to get in the ring with Krillin. How will she fare?

 

~!~

“Goku, are you sure you can eat all that?”

Chi-Chi stared at the growing pile of food on her boyfriend's stack of paper plates. He had ordered so much that the workers had decided to stack a couple plates together instead of relying on one to hold all the food. The students running the concession stand didn't even ask questions. They were working by routine and rules, relying on their training in the midst of a customer rush, so to them it didn't matter how many teriyaki skewers Goku had ordered. Or the collection of melon breads he had gotten as well. Or the chocolate bananas he'd asked for on top of it all at the last second. Goku had the money, so no complaint was necessary from the workers.

Still. That sure was a lot for one person.

“Hm?” Goku hummed as he picked up his plate of food. “Are you sure you didn't want anything, Chi-Chi?”

She shook her head, holding up the can of lemonade he had bought for her. “No, I don't need anything to eat. This is enough.”

“Really?”

“You know most people don't like to eat before a match.”

His eyes blinked upward in thought before he closed them with a laugh. “Yeah, okay, Krillin used to tell me that all the time. I've never had any problems, but I guess it's more common to _not_ eat if you don't do it, either.”

_You'd probably be fine eating before you swim, too, knowing how your stomach works._

Smiling to herself, Chi-Chi dropped the conversation and instead focused on navigating out of the crowd. A sudden crash of thunder rocked loudly through the gym, causing her to nearly trip over her own feet. Snatching Goku's arm saved her from falling and his knowing grin made her face flush.

They didn't a say a word as they disentangled from the mass of people. Wet bodies pressed around them, since only a few had actually prepared for rain. A storm outside was bringing a lot of students and visitors inside to seek shelter. Eventually, Goku and Chi-Chi found a nice pocket of free space by her father. Even with the growing crowd, people were wary about sitting close to the massive man at the edge of the bleachers. Her father was certainly a lot kinder than his looks suggested, but unless someone worked for Mao's Farming or lived in their town, his size would no doubt be rather intimidating.

Since her father had found a place to sit on the bleachers, Chi-Chi had no problem sinking down next to him. Goku plopped down beside her on the other side, smiling as he immediately chewed into one of the teriyaki skewers. Warmth filled her, emanating from both sides as she adjusted her seating to lean closer to Goku. The can of lemonade felt incredibly cool in her hand all of a sudden.

Her father shifted positions as he offered a question into the air. “How much time do ya have left, Chi-Chi?”

Glancing over to her father, Chi-Chi shrugged. “I lost track but there'll be an announcement.”

“Besides,” Goku mumbled around his food, “Yamcha's in the next fight anyway, not Chi-Chi.”

Her father sent a strange look to Goku that she couldn't read as it traveled over her head, but then he laughed and patted her boyfriend on the back. “Tell me, Goku. Do you always eat this much at sporting events?”

“If I have the money...”

Chi-Chi closed her eyes. “Yeah, Dad, he eats a lot all the time. Trust me. I've been cooking for him.”

“Yeah,” Goku said, voice lighting up along with his eyes, “Chi-Chi's really good at cooking, too.”

Her father hummed, eyes sparkling strangely when he beamed down at her, his voice teasing when he spoke. “Oh so you're already cooking for him.”

Heat spread up from her neck to her cheeks. Chi-Chi brought her hands to her face, pressing the cool drink to the gathering warmth. What was her father going on about? Why was he looking at her like that? They were in _high school_. It was far too early to think _that_ deep, wasn't it?

With a huff, Chi-Chi stood up and took a quick drink of the sweet-yet-sour lemonade. As the cool beverage went down her throat, she turned to eye Goku, who was staring at her in silence as he continued to eat the concession food. Her father was staring as well but he was easily ignored for now. She didn't have to put up with this confusing teasing from him.

“Goku,” she said after locking eyes with him again, “I'm going to stand by Bulma and your brother. At least until the match starts.”

Goku sprang to his feet almost instantly, a grimace crossing his face for a split second as if regretting the quick jolt to his leg. But his voice was as bright as usual. “I'll come with you, Chi-Chi. You know you could probably watch Yamcha's match from the sidelines. As long as the officials know you're around and ready, it shouldn't matter.”

“Then we can watch together,” she said with a smile, reaching out for his hand. “Like how I promised originally, remember?”

His dark eyes softened considerably. “Yeah, I remember.”

Still smiling, she gently took his free hand in her own and squeezed lightly in fond appreciation for the shared memory. Then with a quick goodbye and thank you to her father, she managed to pull away from the ever-watchful adult eyes. She didn't want to deal with more teasing from her father. If _he_ started pushing for her to marry Goku, she wasn't sure what would happen to her reasonable self control.

Thankfully, she was able to avoid that discussion entirely – not even wanting to _think_ of what Goku's reaction would be – as she focused on pushing her way through the crowd with Goku right behind her. They eventually made their way to the front, standing near the rope barrier where she had seen her boyfriend cheering for her earlier today. As a contestant, she could force people in the crowd to give way, and, well, Goku had his own special aura that the average student caved to so it wasn't too difficult to get to the good spot.

Squeezing into the line at the front and nearly tripping over the rope at the edge brought the attention from Goku's brother. Of course Goku was the one standing next to his brother so the military man reacted almost immediately. A slap to the shoulder followed boisterous laughter as the older brother turned to admonish the younger one.

“Where the hell did you run off to, little brother? I wasn't sure if you'd be – oh, hey, you picked up a chick!”

“Ah, yeah,” Goku said before swallowing another mouthful of food. “You already saw Chi-Chi when she was fighting, but don't be weird about it now that she's over here, Raditz.”

Laughter hit again as the older brother – _Raditz_ – turned his gaze from teasing Goku to smirking at Chi-Chi. “Don't worry, little brother. You brought a food offering. I'll be good.”

In a flash, Raditz swiped two of the bread rolls from Goku's plate. Goku groaned and whined but didn't fight too hard to get the bread back. Almost like he was used to people snatching food from him anyway. Chi-Chi wasn't sure if it was because of the sibling relationship, or if Goku was simply accustomed to ordering so much and having friends snack off of his excess. Either way, he didn't fight to get his food back, though he did voice a minor complaint.

“You know,” Goku mumbled, “I was planning to eat all those myself.”

“Nonsense,” Raditz said with a wave of his hand. “This blue-haired chick was waiting for you to bring her food all this time.”

Goku paused and tilted his head a little, the black spikes catching Chi-Chi's eye as she fought the sudden urge to pet them back into place. “Really?”

From beyond Raditz, Goku's friend voiced her own complaint toward the uncouth military man. “The _name_ is Bulma, and I was _not_ begging for food.”

Raditz quipped back almost instantly. “I didn't say you were begging.”

“You implied it, asshole.”

As the two of them continued to bicker over semantics, Goku turned to Chi-Chi and shrugged. She smiled. His eyes and his casual stance told her enough. He was comfortable and happy, probably enjoying the day far more than any of them could imagine. The only thing that would make it better is if he was one of the contestants instead of being stuck on the sidelines.

At the thought, Chi-Chi glanced down at his leg, frowning. Even if he did get things fixed, would it truly go back to how it was before? Would he really be able to fight the same? After all, Goku had already worked to adjust his fighting style to rely more on the red pole his grandfather had given him. Even with an injury or disability, he wasn't going to give up his fun. But if physical therapy at this stage could help, would she ever get to see Goku at a tournament style match? He wasn't ever going to be allowed on any important team because of his affiliation in a gang fight, but…

“Chi-Chi,” Goku said softly, bringing her back to the here and now. “You're gonna want to watch this fight. I don't think Yamcha's gonna be able to beat Tien here, so you need to pick up everything you can.”

She blinked and then smiled. It was like he was coaching her, drawing her focus to the upcoming fight and its importance. Apparently, she had dazed out and missed the announcement, though a quick change in her gaze showed that Tien and Yamcha were already taking up positions on the tournament floor.

Chi-Chi took a breath and let it out slowly in an effort to find some sense of calm – and focus. “Right.”

She was going to have to watch and study like a true martial artist. Or at least, she would do her best. She'd been lost trying to follow Krillin and Chiaotzu earlier, but with Goku by her side, she felt like she could do anything.

~!~

The murmuring in the crowd dropped to a low buzz as Chi-Chi focused her full attention on the fight before her. She could feel Goku next to her, his constant steady warmth right up against her side, a contrast to the cool can of lemonade still in her hand. From her peripheral vision, she could gather that Goku's eating speed had slowed considerably as well.

Maybe he was entranced by the fight the same as her.

Yamcha and Tien were practically flying across the tournament stage. Running. Flipping. Punching. Kicking. Dodging. All at a speed that had Chi-Chi trembling on the sidelines. The rope dug into her free palm as her grip tightened with every passing second.

She had fought Yamcha. She'd pushed him back in their spars. Minus her weakness of not knowing the ring size, she'd been able to hold her own against him pretty well when they'd fought. Still. Watching him now was like a whole new experience. A whole new level revealed as she gaped and felt even more insignificant than she did trying to follow and understand Krillin's fight against Chiaotzu.

Had he been holding back? He had mentioned being worried about fighting her because of her connection to Goku. All those spars her boyfriend had thrown her into, all those little fights with Yamcha… were they all nothing more than a weak confidence boost only to dash her hopes at the actual tournament? Maybe she _should_ rely on Yamcha and Krillin to get revenge. She could barely keep up with their moves. How could she expect to keep up with Tien, who was supposedly better than everyone except Goku?

A hand found hers, warm and comforting as it pulled her fingers away from the rope barrier. “They're pretty fast, huh?”

She nodded, trying to calm her heart even as Goku squeezed her hand. “I can't keep up. Goku, I don't think I can -”

“Hey, relax, Chi-Chi,” Goku whispered, his breath by her ear. “You can do it if you relax. You were catching me off guard in the woods, remember?”

“You were going easy.”

“Heh. Not really. I know they look like they're moving fast, but you can do that, too. It just doesn't feel like it when you're actually moving at that speed. Everything tends to slow down when you're the one fighting.”

Another voice chimed in a little rougher than Goku's. “That's true for any kind of fight, too. Even when you're in the military and in a more serious battle for your life. Adrenaline hits you, but you have to control it. And if you control it better than the enemy, you win.”

“You make it sound so easy,” Chi-Chi muttered. “Not that I understand how controlling your adrenaline rush makes you any faster.”

Raditz shrugged, large mass of hair waving slightly at the movement, his attention clearly caught by the fight in front of them and not their conversation. “You sure she has what it takes to beat this guy, little brother?”

Instantly, Goku sprang on the defense. “Yeah! She can do it! She's gonna -”

“'Cause honestly, I think Yamcha has a better chance,” Raditz said with a smirk as he crossed his arms. “This tattooed, three-eyed asshole is going down this match. Just you watch.”

“You're only saying that 'cause you like Yamcha.”

“And you're only saying your chick will win later 'cause you like her!”

When Goku whined and pouted back with another retort, Chi-Chi had to release her hand from his grip in order to cover her mouth. A giggle bubbled up from her stomach, rich and warm among the tightness, and then a nice sense of cool relief when she finally let it go. Whether he heard it or not, she'd never know, because Goku was much more focused on bantering back and forth with his older brother right now. He barely seemed to notice that she'd let his hand go.

Their banter had relaxed her nerves just by listening to them. It kind of made her a little envious, too. She was an only child. She didn't have a brother or sister. She didn't get to experience these sort of sibling moments, and watching them happen always made her smile. Especially when she could tell that Goku was having fun on some level.

It was nice to see. Especially with Bulma rolling her eyes from the other side and mouthing _“boys”_ toward Chi-Chi. They shared a quick look of mutual understanding and then a loud crash and cry coming from the tournament floor interrupted the casual merry moment of their group.

Chi-Chi swerved her eyes to the center of the stage, only to wince and shrink back a little at what she saw.

Yamcha was down, kneeling with one leg on the ring floor while he rubbed at the shin of the other one. His teeth were clenched and his eyes barely open, suggesting he was the person responsible for the cry, though he must have cut it off quickly. The bright orange turtle _gi_ was torn in a few places around the edges, showing signs of a fierce battle.

Chi-Chi had been distracted. She should have been watching. They all should've -

Goku hissed beside her. “That's not good.”

Alarm filled Chi-Chi in a flash. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes widened, and the can shook in her hand as she tried to balance it on the rope barrier. A question formed on her tongue, but she had to swallow it with a deep breath.

Raditz was already on top of a response. “Not like you to be pessimistic, little brother.”

Regardless of what he said, though, Raditz's voice didn't sound all too steady or optimistic anymore, either. The air was tense around them all. A glance out of the corner of her eye revealed Goku crushing the empty paper plates in his hand, followed by Bulma noticing and reaching across Raditz to snatch the trash from Goku before he made an even worse mess as if she were used to taking action after such a display. Chi-Chi half expected Raditz to look even more upset than any of them, but his stance was still rather casual and laid back, hardly noticing the exchange between his brother and Bulma. His glare, on the other hand, was fixed on a certain other fighter in the ring, giving him the appearance of a patient chameleon waiting to strike a bug at the first wrong move.

Which was a bit much, considering this was a school martial arts match. Tien couldn't seriously injure anyone without risking a disqualifying flag. Unnecessary roughness was not allowed. Of course whether or not he went too far would be decided by the judges, who weren't always fair to every contestant. And since the Crane Gang had dodged police action and jail time for what they'd done to her and to Goku…

She could see why everyone was so tense all of a sudden. And yet Chi-Chi couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting even with the situation at hand. Or maybe it was _because_ of the situation in front of her that her thoughts ran wild. What would happen if _she_ fought Tien – or _when_ she fought him? Would he stand above her and gloat at a cruel strike or two the same way he hovered over Yamcha now?

Chi-Chi gulped. Her promise to Goku was sinking further and further away with every passing moment.

“That's it, Yamcha,” Goku muttered, breaking her from the internal worries. “Don't let him push you around. You're better than the last time. Let him see that.”

Raditz grunted, his voice still unsteady. “You sure talk to yourself a lot, little brother.

“You were thinking the same thing.”

“Sure. Maybe.”

Chi-Chi let the voices roll through her ears, noticing the scattered cheers of the crowd. Yamcha was getting up and facing down Tien's cruel smirk. Shouldn't the crowd be a little more active and supportive? This _was_ their school, not anywhere close to the Crane Gang's territory as far as she knew. Surely they hadn't planted influence here of all places. That wouldn't make sense, would it?

Still. She had to spare a moment to search the crowd, as if she would recognize someone from the gang. Considering she'd spent a night with them, it was possible she might have, but her eyes found someone else instead. Glancing away from the fight as things hit a staring standstill, Chi-Chi caught a glimpse of an old man in the crowd further down the rope barrier from her. Master Roshi was here to watch his students after all. She hadn't thought much of him, but she had begun to wonder if the gym teacher and martial arts instructor would show up to watch his students. Besides, even with his somewhat perverted nature, he'd been so much help in getting her signed up and prepared for the qualifying rounds of the tournament. He might be interested in her personal progress, too, even if he wasn't her teacher, even if she wouldn't ever wear the Turtle School _gi_.

Of course, he was far more focused on Yamcha right now. As he should be. As they all were – or at least, as they all were _now_ as she was reminded to turn back to the fight.

Harsh slaps and grunts filled the air as Chi-Chi lifted her eyes to the ongoing tournament match. Yamcha was pushing Tien back this time. Such a similar situation to what he'd done to her in practice, too. Back and back and back. Toward the edge of the ring.

Tien's eyes were wide, actually appearing concerned and a little off-guard as the heel of his foot nearly crossed over the ring's edge. Yamcha kept on pushing, trying to get Tien off balance and take advantage of his position. Chi-Chi held her breath, hoping for the best, even if it meant she wouldn't get to fight Tien for Goku in the end. At this point, she didn't want to watch her friend lose.

Watching a friend lose was never fun, in any situation. Her teeth poked into her bottom lip, her nerves shot, her heart racing as she observed Yamcha's struggle. She didn't know the history here, but the desperation in Yamcha's attacks spoke of a story and brought tension to the stage. So much effort. He was practically screaming at every attempt to knock Tien over, getting faster after each failure.

It reminded her of Krillin's desperate frustration earlier against Chiaotzu. And Goku's call to his friend to snap him out of it. Yamcha was losing focus.

When Tien's eyes lifted from narrowed concentration, when a smirk flitted across his face, Chi-Chi knew that Tien could sense the weakness as well. Goku shifted next to her as Tien's arm lifted, as if _he_ was moving away from the incoming attack. But Yamcha didn't change his attack pattern in the slightest. He didn't move at all. He couldn't see it coming.

Chi-Chi closed her eyes to avoid the inevitable.

Silence came before the crack and Yamcha's cries confirmed her fears without her needing to open her eyes and witness it. Her hand shook on the rope barrier, palm sweaty as she fought to breathe, fought to control the pounding in her ears. She wasn't the one fighting Tien – _yet_ – but any pain Yamcha suffered made her worried for what might happen to her.

“That's dangerously close,” Goku muttered, “to cracking a rib or two. If Tien pushes this much further, he'll be -”

“He'll be dead,” Raditz snapped. “I'll kill him myself.”

The comment alone made Chi-Chi open her eyes, though she continued to avoid looking at the tournament stage. Instead her gaze went to Goku's brother. Raditz was no longer standing by so casually. In fact, with the murderous glare coupled with his forward leaning stance, he looked about ready to hop the rope and enter the ring himself.

She gulped. What kind of chaos would that start? Raditz was in the military, clear and obvious by the uniform he currently wore. Would he _actually_ kill Tien if he couldn't control himself?

“No,” Goku said, reaching out to set a hand on his brother's shoulder. “You can't interfere, Raditz.”

Bulma's voice flowed in from the other side. “Yeah, the judges will -”

“ _Fuck_ the judges,” Raditz growled, rolling his shoulder to break away from Goku's grip. “For all you know, they've been paid off by this Crane Gang group. You guys are far too innocent to put your trust in judges. You don't understand how corruption works. If that wanna-be three-eyed asshole goes too far, I'm hopping in and you're not stopping me.”

Goku winced. “Raditz...”

“Don't you even start with me, little brother. If your chick was the one fighting, you'd have already jumped the barrier at this point. And don't you _dare_ deny it.”

Goku's silence told everything. The air between them was thick and heavy. Chi-Chi could barely breathe, trying to tune out the sounds of Yamcha's continued struggles and short cries of failed attempts.

Instead her eyes focused on Goku. His back was to her because he was staring his brother down, but his fist clenched up by his side. A sure sign of concealed emotion before he let it go. What thoughts had gone through his mind? What was showing in his gaze to cause Raditz's lips to twitch in such a smirk?

“Yeah. All right,” Goku breathed, glancing back at her. “I get it.”

_Oh._

Breath escaped her at the look in his dark eyes. A hard gaze that softened when it touched her. A light smile that set her fears at ease even with everything going on. How did he _do_ that? One look and she was undone. Calm and wanting to giggle instead of shaking from the anxiety of the unknown.

“I won't actually kill him, you know,” Raditz said after a moment, “but damn do I want to right now.”

“Yeah,” Goku repeated. “I get it.”

Bulma cut in with a roll of her eyes. “ _Boys._ Always acting like you have to jump in to avenge someone who loses. It's a school tournament. He'll be fine.”

The brothers both gave a shrug, though Goku rubbed at the back of his head as well, before both of their attention focused back on the fight at hand. Both of them stood straight and tense. Both of them no doubt had to work hard to reign in their control, to force themselves to stand at the sidelines and not jump in – because Bulma was right. This _was_ a school tournament match. Not something out in the middle of nowhere like a normal gang fight. There were rules and boundaries.

Yamcha would be fine.

With a gulp and a deep breath, Chi-Chi finally turned her focus back to the fight as well. She told herself she needed to watch. She had to learn all she could about Tien's movements. This was her last chance to soak up what he could do and how he fought. Now wasn't the time to flake out. She had to suck it up and take in the truth.

No matter how brutal the scene.

Yamcha wasn't down yet, though that realization was only a partial relief. His body looked battered, his _gi_ torn even more than earlier. He stood up from the ring floor with shaky legs, wiping blood off his cheek with the flick of his thumb. She could see his chest heaving with the effort to control his breathing, but his eyebrows were down, his eyes narrowed, glaring at his opponent. Apparently, he wasn't giving up.

Tien stood on the opposite corner of the ring, a smirk on his face like it was permanently etched into place. So far, the Crang Gang leader had been holding the upper hand and he clearly wasn't going to give it up anytime soon. He knew it, too. His stance showed it all. The straight back, proud and tall. The arms loose by his side, not in any sort of defensive posture at all. Head held high, showing off that third eye tattoo on his forehead, as if he were proclaiming the truth of his ability to predict, to “see all.”

Whereas Yamcha kept his feet steady by sheer force of will and stubbornness, Tien was practically floating on air. A clear contrast.

They threw some words at each other, words being drowned out by the roar of the crowd. A roar much louder than any time prior. The intense fight must have drawn in more curious onlookers. This wasn't simply interest based on the hilarity of two midgets fighting. This was a true contest of martial artists, one being a school representative and giving the school's students even more reason to cheer him on.

Even though Yamcha's situation looked rather bleak, the school's students and the crowd in general was fed on the adrenaline of rooting for the clear underdog. Everyone liked to be on the winning side, but more than that – people liked to cheer for the one losing in the hopes that they could overcome. The crowd wanted to watch Yamcha overcome this impossible challenge.

And Chi-Chi was getting caught up in the wave as well, even if the truth whispered in the back of her mind. There was no way her friend, Goku's friend, would be able to fight Tien, to beat Tien, not at this point. Yamcha was too worn down. Tien barely had a scratch at all on him.

And yet…

She raised her voices to the others, cheering him on regardless. Wanting to see him succeed. Wanting to see the impossible happen. She leaned forward against the rope barrier, holding the can of lemonade in her hand and waving it around as she wished him luck with all she had. From the corner of her eye, she thought she caught Goku smiling at her, but she was too focused on the fight to make sure she had seen correctly.

Yamcha was moving again, clearly emboldened by the crowd's energy. His feet wobbled forward and then picked up speed, charging for Tien's smirk. A charge born not just of desperation or frustration, but of an unshakeable desire to see this fight through to the end, to never give up even with the odds stacked against him. For a moment, Yamcha was on fire and glowing with the spirit of perseverance.

For a moment.

Tien wasn't going to simply stand by and let Yamcha take the win. Oh, no. The leader of the Crane Gang sidestepped Yamcha's charge and then brought up a leg, quickly and forcefully kneeing the Turtle School student in the gut. Hard. And fast. So fast Chi-Chi was rather surprised she had seen it coming.

Yamcha certainly hadn't.

A gasp of breath and cough could be heard as the roaring crowd went suddenly silent. Chi-Chi found her eyes trapped on the scene, unable to look away as Tien's smirk grew, as the next few seconds played out as if in slow motion. Tien's knee moved away. Yamcha's body began to fall and curl up, slowly, until Tien's elbow came down to force Yamcha to fall fast and hard against the ring floor.

As Yamcha struggled to get up and the count began, Chi-Chi felt her world slow again. The noise around her disappeared for a moment, though she was aware of Goku and Raditz cheering loudly beside her. And even Bulma. Bulma was there, screaming for Yamcha to get up. But she watched with shaking eyes as Tien stepped away from the Turtle School student.

Tien was done. Tien had called it. And now he was looking right at her.

As if in challenge. He didn't smirk. His eyes said enough, especially when they nodded toward Yamcha's struggling form. Tien knew she was here to fight him. He knew she wanted revenge. He probably thought they all were fighting for Goku on some level. But his eyes found hers, as if trying to tell her something. Trying to tell her to give up? To let Krillin be the one to fight? Or to say it didn't matter either way? Krillin or her, he would do the same thing to them that he had done to Yamcha.

Chi-Chi gulped.

Fighting in a tournament, she didn't expect to be let off free from injury. Not in a martial arts tournament set up like this one. Where it was decided by a winner of the fight itself, not by points earned, not by how many times they could knock someone over. But a winner based on ring-outs or an inability to get to your feet after being knocked down.

Yamcha had stopped moving.

That fact alone terrified her. Had Tien actually knocked him out? Just like that? How much had he been beating on Yamcha this entire time? How much _time_ had even passed?

...what was he going to do to her?

“Chi-Chi?”

Goku's voice hit her and suddenly all the sound rushed into existence again. Cheers were scattered throughout the crowd, though most of the applause seemed forced as Tien bowed to accept his win. The massive amount of enthusiasm from the crowd had died with Yamcha's loss. No one liked seeing the underdog lose, especially not if they had been so eagerly cheering him on earlier. She didn't really want to look at the stage, though she noticed that Raditz had definitely hopped the rope barrier now.

A quick glance around revealed that the military man wasn't going after Tien in revenge. Instead, Raditz was next to Yamcha, picking him up, waking him up, helping him to his feet and no doubt whispering something nice. She thought she could see Yamcha smile amid all the grimacing on his face. Those two certainly weren't what she had expected, but -

“Hey,” Goku's voice hit her again, followed by a warm hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay, Chi-Chi?”

“Huh?” She blinked up at him, trying to force a smile. “Y-yeah. I'm fine.”

“You don't look fine.”

Well, he could read her pretty well. She wasn't sure if she liked that right about now. Not with the worried look in his gaze, the way he was frowning. Oh, but the way he rubbed her shoulder was nice. She felt so cold all of a sudden and his warmth was definitely comforting.

“I'll be fine,” she whispered. “I just need a little time. That was -”

Before she could say more, Goku's arms came around her. Both of them wrapping around and pressing into her back to pull her close to him. His warmth was even stronger and his steady stance made her aware of how much she was shaking right now. She hadn't realized she'd been showing her nerves like that. She should have been in control; she should be like a true martial artist and have control over her emotions so that she could stand steady even when terrified.

But Goku's presence was a comfort, a light and a warmth to huddle against as he rubbed her back. His orange hoodie smelled of food and sweat, mostly the teriyaki he had eaten earlier. And behind it all was the distinct pine tree country boy scent she had grown accustomed to relating to him. A comfort but also such a sweet gesture on his part that she wanted to cry. Tears pricked at the edges of her vision, but she took a deep breath and held them back, being content with allowing herself to bury her face in his chest.

“You'll be okay, Chi-Chi,” Goku said, his voice a low rumble. “I fought with you, remember? Yamcha wasn't really going easy on you when he fought you, either. You have what it takes. Trust me. You can do this. Stay focused and remember those tricks I taught you, okay?”

She wanted to cry, especially now, but she laughed instead. “You sound like my father or something, Goku.”

“Huh? I do?”

“Mmm… a little. It's nice, though.”

Pulling away from him, she smiled, not even lifting a hand to wipe at her eyes. He was right. She was fine. She was going to be fine. She had to believe in herself. Of course, she had to face Krillin first, and Krillin wasn't a pushover. After watching that fight of his with Chiaotzu, she had an idea of how he fought now, but -

“And I have a feeling you'll do great against Krillin, too,” Goku went on, as if he could read her mind. “Don't tell him that I'm rooting for you, though. He _is_ my closest friend.”

A small laugh left her mouth at that, one she had to end with a smile as she looked up and met his eyes. “Yeah. Okay. I won't tell. I'm sure he'd understand, though.”

“Of course he would,” Goku laughed. “He's Krillin.”

“Right.”

As if that explained it all. But she knew what Goku meant. She had found that it was real easy to talk with Krillin, even when it came to discussing ways to get a kiss from Goku. Oh, Yamcha had been a lot of help, too, but Krillin had a certain charm and a certain closeness to Goku that went beyond the normal friendship vibe.

How was she supposed to beat Goku's best friend?

One of _her_ friends now after everything that had happened this year. Fighting him was going to be a whole different kind of challenge.

~!~

Although there wasn't a specific break announced, Chi-Chi did feel like time slowed down as she waited to be called up to the tournament stage. She caught Krillin's gaze from the other side of the ring, but she quickly glanced away, still trying to come to terms with how she would be handling this fight. Tien went back to the curtained-off area after a subtle, quick glance to Goku, which was mostly ignored even though Goku kept an arm around her shoulders.

Raditz gently helped Yamcha away from the tournament area, taking him off to the boy's locker room, assuring the student medical staff that he could handle things. Chi-Chi had to admire Goku's brother for a moment; he was rather crass at times, but his heart was in the right place and he sure seemed to have more skills than she had first assumed from him. She should know better than to judge by first impression. Goku and his friends had taught her that much already.

The adult announcer walked up to her position on the sidelines, holding the microphone down and off to the side. He brushed at his suit, which somehow had earned a bloodstain. She had to wonder how. Was blood really flying from the tournament stage during Tien and Yamcha's fight? The thought made her shiver.

“All right, Miss Mao,” he said, “are you ready for your match?”

After a quick glance to Goku to bolster her confidence again, Chi-Chi lifted her chin and gave a determined nod. “Yeah. I'm ready.”

“All right, let's get this show on the road, then.”

As the announcer moved to start speaking to the crowd, doing his job at getting them riled up for the event, Chi-Chi sent a smile to Goku, handed off her mostly empty can of lemonade, and then crawled over the rope barrier. As soon as she started moving, she noticed Krillin coming out from his lonely position by the curtain divider. It was hard to imagine there was still another event taking place beyond them. More events still happening all over the school. Though the crowd around the tournament stage was growing, so maybe other places were closing down, or people were growing bored with concerts and puzzle games and festival booths.

Or maybe the martial arts tournament was just that interesting now.

A wry smile crossed her face. She didn't want to disappoint them, then. A fight against Krillin was sure to be a fantastic show. As long as she could put aside her worries, Chi-Chi was sure she'd be able to handle this. Goku had faith in her. That was all she needed. She needed to remember that.

Once they were both set on stage, standing a few feet apart from each other on opposite sides of the tournament ring, Chi-Chi tried to meet Krillin's eyes. Except he wasn't looking at her at all. His gaze had drifted over to Goku, and she found herself staring at the short, bald friend.

His _gi_ was a little roughed up but he was steady on his feet. The break he'd gotten had apparently done enough to make him look perfectly fine and ready for another match. She knew his rivalry fight with Chiaotzu must have taken a lot out of him, but somehow he actually managed to look light on his feet. He was used to the tougher fights. Heck, he was used to the consistent fighting. So although he wasn't at top shape or full capacity right now, he showed no sign of being weary. The mark of a martial artist. Or, well, at least one who had the stamina to continue after one rough match.

Chi-Chi shook her head. She was going to freak herself out again. She couldn't let that happen. She had to stay focused. Eyes narrowing, she clenched her teeth and tried to draw on her own determination. Her own force of will. Krillin was a friend but right now he was an obstacle in her way.

She couldn't forget that.

 _This is for Goku_. _I have to do this for him. I have to beat Krillin here so I can face Tien. So I can win for Goku._

When Krillin turned his gaze back, Chi-Chi met him with a hard, cold stare and he actually took a step back from her, eyes wide. His hands went to his waist for a moment where he laughed a little to himself, then his hands came up and together. Chi-Chi blinked as Krillin bowed before her, quickly reacting in kind. The stress of the situation was no excuse to forget the customary polite traditions.

_Let this be a good match. Good luck to you, even though I want to defeat you here, Krillin._

His eyes lit up for a second after their customary bow, but then hardened like hers had been earlier. His body shifted, falling into a stance. One she could sort of recognize. It was real similar to Goku's. Of course. Krillin and Goku had the same teacher; there was bound to be similarities.

Taking a breath and letting it out slowly, Chi-Chi fell into her own stance. One she had learned on her own. Though Goku _had_ corrected her positioning and tweaked it to make it better for her in general, it was still _hers_. Her only teacher had been her father when she was younger – and herself as she grew up. And of course a little training from Goku in the past weeks to hone her skills. Whereas Krillin had been trained professionally for years. For _years…_

_No, focus. You can do this._

A loud cue from the announcer echoed through her ears and then settled as Chi-Chi accepted that the match had begun, and turned her attention and focus to watching Krillin as best she could. For a moment, he stared back, his eyes traveling over her as if trying to burn holes in her stance. Neither one of them moved, each studying the other. She hadn't practiced with Krillin. She had only watched his fight with Chiaotzu and that was all kinds of unconventional and full of unexpected twists. But now she had to take what little she knew and apply it to the fight at hand.

What would he do? Where would he move? What sort of attacks did he prefer? Where were his weak areas? Could she push him into something?

The thoughts and possibilities ran through her mind, trying to calculate if it was better for her to let him move first or if she should take a testing shot. The crowd noise behind her started to pick up into a murmur. They were getting antsy watching the stare off. But it didn't matter what they wanted. She wasn't here for them. She was here for Goku, and without even looking, she knew he would be watching her closely. He wanted to see her succeed; he didn't care how she went about it or how long it took her to decide what to do. He was going to cheer for her no matter what.

Even if it was against his best friend.

Maybe time was slowing down again, but it felt like she was sitting in one stance for hours. Her body felt tense. She needed to relax. Relax and wait. Test the patience of the other fighter. Let Krillin move first. She wanted to know what he would do if given the opportunity to go after her, so let him go first. Let him act so she could react. Let patience be the test.

As soon as she managed to relax her muscles from the tension, Krillin finally made his move. In a flash, he rushed from his position to the edge of the ring and then to her side. A strange move, but maybe he was testing her ability to follow his speed. Her arm came up to block his attack and she quickly moved to counterattack, though he sprang away in a blur.

Though he disappeared for a time, Krillin eventually came up from behind her with another attack. She still caught it in time to spin and kick out at him, forcing him back away from her. She was holding her ground, but Krillin kept repeatinghis fast movements. Darting first here, then there. Around he went, but each time he tried a different angle she was there to block or keep him away. Chi-Chi refused to give him any ground.

She was on the defensive, but she felt comfortable here. He wasn't too fast. He wasn't overbearing. He came at her again and again, and she barely had to move from her spot.

At some point, she noticed how he kept moving toward her right side, as if expecting her to keep circling around until she made herself dizzy. She refused to bow down to that trick, instead switching it up and striking out herself.

Lifting her leg, she put her powerful kicks into play as she struck at Krillin's side. A successful hit, though it only deterred the other fighter for a few breathes. He came back strong, moving with the kick and then bouncing back to aim a punch at her gut, which she quickly shoved off by shifting her body and using her palm to direct his arm so that it grazed her side instead. In fact, he ended up hitting the fabric of her uniform with the barest touch of his knuckles.

It was like slow motion as he passed by her, missing by only a thread. As soon as both of her feet hit the ground again, Chi-Chi sprang away. After all that, she had finally been pushed out of her spot, and she quickly found a defensive stance, ready to take anything else Krillin wanted to dish out at her.

Instead, a light chuckle filled the air. Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes as the other fighter got his own balance and turned to face her. One of his fists went against his waist, his other arm hanging loosely and freely by his side. Technically, she could jump him for being so relaxed, but she had a feeling he wanted to say something so she waited, keeping herself on edge despite how calm and friendly Krillin appeared. Best friend or not, a tournament match was a tournament match. He could be messing with her mind and trying ways to catch her off guard. She couldn't allow him to distract her.

“Hey, Chi-Chi,” Krillin said, smiling. “Why are you fighting so hard? Do you really want to fight Tien?”

Chi-Chi practically huffed back at him. “Of course I do.”

“Yeah, but why?”

At the question, her eyes flitted over to the sidelines around the tournament stage. Her boyfriend was standing there, next to Bulma, his gaze entranced, mouth set firmly, at least until he saw her looking. Then he grinned. That big grin that lit up his face and her heart in one smooth motion.

She quickly turned back to Krillin. “Does it matter?”

“Of course it does,” Krillin said, arms crossing at his chest. “You're fighting for Goku, aren't you?”

The flush in her face probably gave her away. She fought the urge to look toward her boyfriend again. The murmuring of the crowd danced through the air around them, and she did her best to ignore that as well. They couldn't hear. She hadn't been able to hear Tien or Yamcha snapping at each other. So there was no way anyone else in the audience would be able to hear Krillin right now.

“You _are_ fighting for him,” Krillin continued. “And he wants _you_ to win for him, doesn't he?”

Feeling the heat in her cheeks, Chi-Chi gave a small nod and a bit of a whisper. “Yeah.”

“Heh. I figured.”

With a sigh, Krillin lifted his arms in a shrug before setting his handson the back of his head. He leaned back a little in a stretch and then laughed, muttering something under his breath. She wasn't able to catch a single word.

After a moment, he dropped his arms to his side and then started walking toward her. Casually. Not in a stance. Not prepped for battle.

Chi-Chi tensed, having no idea what he was about to do. What sort of trick was he getting at? This was Krillin. Surely he wasn't actually going to play mind games with her. Except that's exactly what he was doing right now because she couldn't read him. Why was he -

“All right, Chi-Chi,” Krillin said, standing right in front of her, holding his hand out for her to shake. “I give up. Tien's all yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta readers and critique partner Kairi and Maiika. You guys are both super helpful and I appreciate it very much. 
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading this. If you want to offer more support, you can check out my patreon at patreon.com/Reda - extra drabbles, personal requested one shots, early access, and more! Most everything does eventually make its way into the public sphere, so don't worry about me holding anything big from you. Oh! And I'm starting to post original fiction tidbits there as well, if you are at all interested. Either way, supporting through patreon or reviews or kudos or however you decide to show your support - I appreciate you all :)


	20. Part 16: I Fought For You (Section 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Chi-Chi fights Tien]

 

“Tien's all yours.”  
  
The words echoed through the ring and through her mind as she stared back at the hand offered to her. Krillin was giving up? As much as that would be easier on her, the thought of one of Goku's friends simply handing in the towel so early in a match…

Chi-Chi didn't drop her guard. “Why?”

Krillin blinked. “Huh?”

“Why give up? Don't you want to take him down yourself? Why give it to me? Why not fight for -”

Laughter was her answer. The smaller guy dropped his hand and shrugged, but he glanced over at the sidelines again. Over at Goku, who was watching intently in silence. Had he heard them? Had anyone heard Krillin? Was the announcer saying something about it or was he just going off like normal? Chi-Chi had grown accustomed to tuning out the noise around her when she was supposed to be focused on a fight, so she had no idea.

“Come on, Chi-Chi, it makes perfect sense,” Krillin said. “I bet if you thought about it long enough, you'd understand, too.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Krillin, I don't think -”

He interrupted her. Or, well, he practically continued on with what he was saying before as if _she_ hadn't interrupted _him_. “It really is the smartest move. Our best bet. I'm not sure which one of us is stronger and I _would_ like to find that out. But if I'm going to fight Tien, I'm already going to be a little tired out from my earlier match. So if I fight you now, I'll get even more tired. I don't think I could beat him if I'm not at my best. Honestly, I'm not sure I can beat him if I _am_ at my best, and, frankly, I'm not sure you could either.”

Clicking her tongue between her teeth, Chi-Chi tried not to glare. “Well thanks for the vote of confidence.”

His hands came up defensively. “Hey, hey, no offense or anything. I'm just stating my opinion. Goku's the only one I know who could beat Tien. It's been the two of them at these tournaments on and off, though Vegeta would probably be able to take him, too, but I've never seen _that_ fight play out either.”

So that was one disadvantage she could think of already. She wasn't sure of the history with Tien in the first place. She hadn't seen previous matches except for his recent fight with Yamcha that she had, admittedly, barely watched. Beyond that, all she knew was that Goku had beaten him once before at the very least. All she knew was that Tien held a grudge. All she knew was what the others had told her. She didn't have the full history.

How was she supposed to have the confidence to beat him, then? How could anyone expect her to beat him? If what Krillin was saying was true, then why was he leaving it to _her_ to get revenge?

“Anyway,” Krillin continued, “Goku clearly wants you to win. Not me. Not anyone else. He's excited for all of our fights, sure, and he probably did want to see this one play out for real. But I don't want to tire you out before you go fight Tien. I don't think either one of us has a chance if we have to fight him after we fight each other, and, well, _you're_ not going to give up. Because it means too much to you. And to Goku.”

With a slow realization, Chi-Chi felt her stance relax. When he put it like that, suddenly it made perfect sense. Leave it to her because of course she wasn't going to give up. She was too stubborn. She would have pushed herself to whatever limits she needed to in order to defeat Krillin here, and if she did win against Krillin, she'd have to face Tien at a shadow of her best. Not the best odds.

Krillin grinned and held out his hand. “So you see, you're the best bet we have right now.”

“Yeah,” Chi-Chi whispered as she took his hand and accepted his forfeit. “I guess you're right.”

As the announcement of Krillin's decision carried through the audience, Chi-Chi could hear the crowd going nuts. Not so much with wild cheers, but with quite a lot of murmuring and discussion. They wouldn't understand. Krillin had barely fought with her. She hadn't laid a hand on him, had she? So to them, it looked like a crazy choice to forfeit so soon.

But when she glanced to Goku, she saw a glimmer in his eyes. A look that said he knew. He didn't look confused at all. Instead, he was smiling, too. Maybe he _had_ heard them talking. She blushed at the thought. That would be embarrassing. Even if she was doing this for Goku, and even if he had specifically asked her months ago, having it stated so clearly in the moment was another thing entirely. Especially if he was just going to sit there on the sidelines and smile in soft, quiet understanding.

“Well, Chi-Chi,” Krillin said, grabbing her attention again. “Good luck.”

He caught her eye and then stepped back and gave a short bow. At first, she stared, still stunned by the result of her latest match. Then, as the announcer came up to have a word, Chi-Chi realized how rude she must look so she quickly gave a bow back to Krillin. A polite way to end the match. A polite, traditional way to thank each other for the good fight. Something that was a bit odd considering Krillin had forfeited before they could really fight at all, but traditions were traditions for a reason and she wasn't going to allow herself to forget the simple gesture. Even if the match itself had been a little strange.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she then faced the adult who was announcing all their matches. Though she couldn't tell him she was ready for the next one yet, because he was busy discussing something with Krillin. So she stood by awkwardly and patiently, deciding to look around the tournament ring to pass the time.

The crowd had grown. The windows at the top of the walls around the gym showed a storm was more than brewing outside. The sky was dark and rain was pounding on the windows, and the wall, and, oh, the rain hitting the ceiling must be the cause of that roaring, thundering sound. No wonder so many people were watching the martial arts tournament now. They'd been forced away from the outside booths.

She caught her Papa, sitting on the bleachers in the back. He noticed her glance and gave a wave, his cheerful demeanor practically beaming from the smile he wore. No doubt he was proud of how far she had come.

How far she had come…

Chi-Chi brought a hand up to her chest and swallowed the fear stuck in her throat. She was in the final match. She'd made it to the finals of a martial arts tournament. A school tournament, sure, but with her haphazard personal training that felt like an impressive feat.

“Hey, Chi-Chi!” The voice calling for her made her jerk her head around to catch Goku's wave and grin. “You got this! Just breathe!”

His wink made her face flush but she gave a timid nod in response. A timid feeling that slowly eased away from her as she continued to stare into his encouraging eyes. He was here for her. Oh, sure, she was fighting for him, but he was still here to watch her, whether she succeeded or not.

Of course, she had no plans to let him down. Fists clenching up by her side, Chi-Chi turned back to the adult running this event. Krillin was already walking away. And the announcer was looking toward her expectantly anyway. She could see the question on the tip of his tongue.

So she answered it without any prompting necessary. “I'm ready.”

He nodded at her, then pulled his microphone forward to announce the upcoming match. She wasn't even sure if he was good at what he did. She'd barely paid attention to a word of it since this whole tournament started. Even now, she tuned him out as she focused instead on the guy she was set to fight next.

The leader of the Crane Gang walked out from the edge of the curtain and Chi-Chi had to fight her nervously beating heart at every step. His smirk wasn't even there. He actually looked relaxed and bored, something made clear by his calm stride as he climbed into the ring and took up a position opposite of hers. While her hands were shaking at her side, his were loose and free without any sign of tremor. While her shoulders were tense, his were relaxed and pulled back. Confident.

She needed that confidence.

“ _Just breathe.”_

A simple last instruction from Goku, but she took it to heart now. With a deep breath, Chi-Chi closed her eyes and let herself focus on nothing else for a moment. Focus on the breath. Take it in, hold it, let it out slowly. She could feel the tension leaving her body one muscle at a time. One deep breath at a time to center herself.

When she opened her eyes and faced Tien's gaze once more, Chi-Chi lowered her eyebrows and pulled her chin up. She would not be scared away from doing her best. She would face him. After all the things he had done, after what he had put Goku through, she would face him down. And she would win.

She _had_ to. Not just for Goku, either. For Krillin, who gave up his chance to fight Tien to allow her this moment. For herself, after what he had done to _her_. For Yamcha, who had been beaten bloody in his failed attempt to take Tien down.

Now it was her turn. She was the only one left who could do this. She couldn't let fear hold her back. So she swallowed the anxiety, gave a nod of a bow despite the fact that she didn't respect Tien at all, and fell into a ready stance.

His eyes flashed. He smirked. He gave a bow of his own, though the gesture felt somehow like a mockery to the way she clung to older traditions. She narrowed her eyes but didn't allow him to bother her. Instead, she watched his motions with a careful eye. Watched as his legs bent. As his arms came up and his fingers formed into their own position. A stance of his own.

The announcement went off, the call to begin, and immediately the tension broke into pieces as Tien sprang for her while the announcer's shout still rang through the air.

Chi-Chi gasped as she tried to spring backwards in response. Only she wasn't fast enough. In a flash he was in front of her. She moved her hands, trying to block the attack she knew was coming. She was faster, but still not fast enough.

Blocking the first attack was hard. The second was impossible. The elbow to her chin practically sent her flying backwards, but she grimaced past the pain and got control of her momentum in time to sidestep the next charge. She had an inkling of a moment to make a move herself, but the instant the thought crossed her mind of her chance, it was gone.

Tien danced around her, and every hit she managed to catch with her open palms sent a shock of pain slithering up her arms. Chi-Chi wasn't sure if she could keep this up. Again and again and _again_ he came at her. Never letting up. She could barely breathe. In fact, she realized at one point that she was holding her breath, so she had to let it out and remind herself to take in air even as she tried to focus on every attack coming at her right now. Somehow, her feet stayed on the ring floor. Always managing to keep up with him – but just barely. Sweat beaded on her forehead, dripping into her eyebrow, tracking around her eyes.

Could she keep this up?

It felt never-ending.

And then her heel met air instead of floor. Her eyes widened as she realized she was on the edge of the ring. She'd lost track of where she was. She'd forgotten to keep track of the size of the ring. She'd been so focused on his attack and on dodging or blocking what he threw at her, that she had completely forgotten…

With a curse escaping her lips, Chi-Chi tensed up and locked herself into place, arms crossed in front of her in preparation for an assault,shutting her eyes against the inevitable. She couldn't run. She had to take the hits. If she could push back, then maybe it wouldn't be over, but -

Wait…

Frowning, she realized nothing was hitting her. Opening her eyes, she nearly balked to see Tien standing more toward the center of the ring. His arms were crossed, and he was smirking. Why was he over there? What was his game?

“Come on now,” he said. “That's almost too easy.”

Mocking her. That's what he was doing. He was mocking her.

Chi-Chi clenched her jaw and took a few steps away from the edge of the ring. Dropping her arms to her sides, she glared back at him. He was making fun of her. He really didn't think she could be a challenge. Honestly, she was having trouble believing she could be a challenge, much less win. His over-relaxed stance certainly didn't help matters. And his third eye, tattoo or not, only managed to make her feel like even more people were staring at her, judging her.

Condescending. She expected it from guys. A little sexism because she was a _girl_ trying to fight in a martial arts tournament, a sport not many girls participated in and certainly not after they passed puberty. But this wasn't so much because she was a girl. This condescending attitude from him was because he _knew_ he was better than her at this. He _knew_ he had more training to back himself up, more skill, more experience, more… everything.

Yet she couldn't let it get to her. She had to stay strong. Even if she didn't believe in herself, she had to remember that Goku believed in her.

_Do it for him_.

She didn't need to prove anything to herself, though it would be nice. This event was just supposed to be a little fun for her and a little extra thing to add to her college application. She was here for Goku anyway. She was pushing herself beyond what she thought she could do because of _Goku_. Because she…

Her face heated at the thought of love. No, they were too young. Love was too strong, no matter how much she ached to use the word. She really liked him. Trusted him. Wanted to make him happy. Wanted to make him proud.

So, really, it was all for him.

So she couldn't let him down. She had to keep reminding herself that she couldn't lose this. Failure wasn't an option. She was going to win. She was going to beat Tien here. She was going to give Goku the gift he had asked for. She was going to make the impossible happen right here on this tournament stage. Right now.

Without a word of retort, Chi-Chi pulled herself up and dropped into another stance, one that had Tien raising an eyebrow. Let him think what he wanted. It didn't matter what he thought. It didn't matter what the crowd thought. It didn't matter if she had an audience. It didn't matter. Goku was the only one who needed to witness this anyway.

And even without looking, she knew he was rooting for her. She could feel his eyes on her. She could sense his support. He believed in her, so she could do anything.

In a rush, she moved her feet. Practically jumped at Tien. Swung her leg around to kick toward his head. She wasn't surprised when she missed; she already had another move ready. As she landed back on the ring floor, she swiped toward the place he had moved to with her arm. She missed again, but it didn't deter her momentum. She went again. A jab with the other hand. Her palms flat, cutting through the air at a speed that must have surprised him if the widening in his eyes was any indication.

This time, she danced around him. Swiping motions. Fast, powerful kicks that she had full control of (thanks to Goku for practicing them with her). He blocked or dodged or moved and she came at him again without any hesitation.

Until he caught her leg in his hand and held her still, fingers wrapping around her ankle, his face practically laughing at her as she fought the urge to panic. “Well, that's more like it.”

Growling, Chi-Chi twisted out of his grip and sprang away to set her stance again. “You shouldn't underestimate me.”

“Oh, I understand that now,” Tien said. “I also understand why Goku likes you. Makes a lot more sense for him to fall for a chick who can fight.”

Was he mocking her again? She narrowed her eyes. No wonder Yamcha kept getting fired up in his fight. Tien kept trying to push her into frustration. Everyone knew control of your emotions was essential to coming out on top in combat. Control of your emotions. Control the adrenaline. Control, control, control.

She thought she could handle that much. Now she was struggling. Too much was riding on this match. Too much was at stake. It was hard to focus and hard to center herself. Every time she managed to find that calm, serene state, something else pulled her out of it. Tien was playing dirty in a way, though she could understand its legitimacy. Knock your opponent off balance. Rile them up. Force them to make a mistake.

He wasn't going to get to her. She couldn't _let_ him get to her.

But how was she supposed to beat him? What could she do? He had pushed her back to the edge of the ring. And she had only managed to make him run a little. She hadn't been able to control where he ran toward. She needed to throw him out of the ring. That was her best bet, but _how_? Between his expert control of movement and that sky-dancing technique Chiaotzu had shown off – a technique she knew Tien had as well – Chi-Chi wasn't sure how she was going to be able to use the technique Goku had taught her. The one where she could use Tien's weight to throw him out of bounds. She was relying on it, but – _how_?

Before she could think any further, Tien came at her again. Like a flash of motion he was behind her in no time. She spun around as quickly as possible and leaned down, ready to at least try the technique and see if she could make it work. They weren't in the center of the ring, and they weren't too terribly far from the edge, either, so maybe she could get lucky.

As his punch jabbed out for her, Chi-Chi leaned down and set her hands on his bare chest, ignoring the feel of sweat on her fingers. Sporting matches weren't exactly clean and pretty. Setting her angle and finding the point of his motion, she pushed against that incoming force and took control of Tien's forward momentum. In half a second, she had flipped him to the ground, leaving him stunned and staring up at her as she finally let a smirk of her own cross her face.

Too bad he hadn't gone over the ring.

Of course, he wasn't happy about the predicament, either. Tien shot to his feet and sprang back, falling into a stance more seriously this time. He glared at her. Hard and cold.

Chi-Chi didn't voice any sort of comment. She wasn't here to boast over even the smallest victory. She was focused on her goal. And one step closer to achieving it. Only, now Tien would be wary of her. He wasn't going to be letting his guard down as easily. He knew what she could do. A little technique from a martial arts school that wasn't really her own, or his own, but she had felt his weight shift under her control as she lifted him. It wasn't the same as grappling or her actually using her own strength to move him, and he probably hadn't expected such a feat from _her_ because of how much less body mass she actually had to use against him. Well, she had other ways to make progress in a fight.

Thanks to Goku. Thanks to what he had taught her.

The next exchange of blows was more calculated than before, on both of their ends. Chi-Chi let Tien come to her, and did everything she could to push his attacks away. Successfully. And without fear or worry this time. She had confidence now. Every time she thought of Goku, confidence filled her. So she continued to think of him and continued to out-perform her own expectations as the fight dragged on.

All she had to do now was push him closer to the edge, so she could flip him off the ring. She knew she could do it now. She just needed the position. And position on the ring floor was one of her weaknesses, but she had worked on this when sparring with Yamcha. So she tried to pull on those memories. Tried to feel out the ring size. Tried to push Tien toward the edge.

When she kicked out and made him back up, she thought she had him. His feet were dangerously close to that perilous position now. All she had to do was push forward and flip him. There were multiple ways to flip someone. Goku had made her read that book and look at the different options, practice the different techniques. She wasn't a master at any of them, but the self-defense methods could be used offensively if given the right angles. So all she had to do was -

Pain interrupted her thoughts. All of the planning dropped away as pain flooded her. A twinge, an ache in her right arm. Her vision blurring even as she saw the green and yellow of Tien's colors rush by, a leg lowering from the air as a new sinking feeling hit her stomach.

He had smashed his leg into her arm. Hard. And she hadn't seen it coming. Hadn't noticed his change in motion. She'd been too caught up in celebrating how close he was to the edge. And now…

Chi-Chi whimpered as she dropped to the stage floor. Her knees buckled and she plopped down, sitting as she held her arm and tried not to cry. Biting her lip, she swallowed the tears and tried to focus on something other than that sharp pain in her arm. Was it broken? She couldn't tell. She didn't want to think about it.

As if from a distance, she heard a countdown beginning.

_No, I can't -_

_Goku, I -_

“Chi-Chi!”

Hearing her boyfriend's voice made the tears form again, made the sick feeling return to her stomach. She shook her head, trying to shake it all away. She couldn't face him. She'd lost. She wasn't going to be able to beat Tien now. What had he done? Her arm was on fire. Moving it at all made it even worse. What was she going to do?

“ _Chi-Chi, when you fight in the tournament, will you fight for me?”_

“ _Yes.”_

Some promise. Look at where she was now. Look at how far she had come only to fail here. She'd let her guard down and it had cost her. She should have known. She couldn't let her guard down around Tien. Why did she have to mess up like that? Why did she have to -

Footsteps. Coming toward her. Somewhere, someone was counting. A voice above her, haughty, laughing.

“Well,” Tien said, “you tried. That counts for something, I guess. The scouts will see me. For winning this tournament, I'll be able to go somewhere. It may not be the best in the nation thanks to the fact that I couldn't show up Goku, but at least I'll have something. And what does he have, huh? What have you proven? Nothing.”

All the words she was trying to hide from herself. He was saying everything she was thinking. She had failed. Failed her boyfriend. Failed Krillin. Failed everyone. What _had_ she gotten? Challenging Tien and _for what_? So he could win in the end and get an official sponsorship anyway? What was the _point_?

_Oh, Goku, I'm so sorry._

“ _That one stance you had there. Can you hold it?”_

“ _Sure?”_

“ _Try this. You looked a little tense in this one, which isn't good for the flow. You don't need anything slowing you down.”_

All the training. All the teaching. Everything he had done for her. Gone to waste now. Every little thing he had taught her, pointless now. What could she do if she couldn't use her arm? Even if it wasn't broken, she definitely wouldn't be able to use it.

Throwing Tien was going to be impossible. It wasn't like throwing Goku had ever been easy. Even in their practices. Throwing with one arm…

It was _impossible_. She was going to fail Goku. Thinking about that just made her remember all the times she had spent with him this year. The smiles she wanted to give back to him. The cheerful nature that made up his entire being; he'd never had a reason to be so down and yet because of what Tien had done...

She chewed her lip as the memories flooded her. Memories of enjoying Goku's company. All the things he had done for her. All the times he had been with her. Even that one mistake of a night.

“ _Goku, get off the phone.”_

“ _Whoa, Chi-Chi, I didn't know you -”_

Wait. She had thrown him when she'd been under the influence that one time, hadn't she? If she could throw someone when hopped up on alcohol and senzu brownies, then maybe…

The countdown around her continued. She wasn't sure what number he was on now. Four? Three? But her eyes looked up slowly as they met Tien's glare. Her chin came up. A new feeling flooded her. It didn't have to be impossible. Push the pain to the side. Maybe she _could_ still manage something. If she could toss Goku around the room when she was _drunk_ _and high_ , then what was to say she couldn't toss Tien around with one arm?

“ _Goku, you should probably just go straight home. You live out in the country and it's a long way to -”_

“ _What? No, I want to walk you home. What if you slip on ice again? I gotta be there to catch you.”_

To catch her. He was always there. Always willing to be there. Even when he wasn't, he wanted to be and he did everything in his power to help her out. Well, now it was her turn. Now, she was going to be there to catch him. She was going to get the revenge he deserved.

She was going to face the impossible and come out on top.

Climbing to her feet, she heard the sound of the crowd as it fell to silence. Maybe her determination was showing. She didn't care. Her focus fell to Tien, who had his mouth open in shock but quickly closed it as he was clearly still ready to take her on, still treating her like an easy win.

“ _Just breathe.”_

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Chi-Chi centered herself. The pain in her arm faded to a dull ache. She forced it to disappear into the distance. Pushed it aside for now. Forced her mind to center on one thing and one thing only.

With her arm hanging at her side, she moved. In a flash, she rushed away from Tien. Ran off to the side unexpectedly. And then came back. Behind him. He turned. Growled. Came at her. Thanks to her choice of movement, she now stood at the edge of the ring. Perilously close.

It was time to take the risk.

No doubt he saw the perfect opportunity. No doubt he was tired of fighting her, tired of trying to break her. No doubt his emotions were a little out-of-sorts after the confidence she had just displayed.

It was time to take advantage of her opponent.

He came at her, charging fast. She didn't bend. She didn't lean. She let him come. Right until his arm extended to push her over. That was when she moved. And all she did was grab his arm. Right where she needed to in order to change the momentum of his charge. Right where she needed to in order to take charge of his weight and use it against him.

Though she did notice one thing about his weight. A difference. She almost laughed. It wasn't going to save him.

“You're lighter than I expected,” she whispered. “That sky-dancing technique of yours really isn't going to help you here, you know.”

She had her angle. She had her control. And in a few more seconds, she had the twist she needed to make it happen. It took a lot of power. It took far more than she thought she was capable of. With one arm hanging useless at her side, she had to put all of her focus into the one that was holding Tien's arm. But because of what she had learned, because of what she had practiced, she knew it was about using her _opponent's_ weight and position to undo them. That was why this method was primarily used for defense. It was about catching them off guard and using all that power they had coming at you to turn them away.

_The bigger they are, the harder they fall, after all._

And Tien fell hard. Practically flying through the air as Chi-Chi tossed him aside like he was nothing. He hit the edge of the ring and then bounced outside of it, finding himself without the control he needed to save himself.

For a moment, everything was still. For a moment, it was like a dream.

Then she took a breath, took a few steps toward the center of the ring, and fell down to the stage floor in relief. Applause exploded around her. A loud reverberation around the gym, creating a sound to surpass the crash of thunder that echoed the sentiment. She barely heard the announcer screaming her victory.

She couldn't believe it. Her stomach was still doing flips. Her hands were shaking. Her arm was still on _fire_. But the knowledge made her heart happy. She'd done it. She'd fought Tien and won.

For Goku.

Merely thinking of him seemed to bring him to her. Lifting her head, she watched as her boyfriend climbed over the rope barrier – with a little help from Krillin and Bulma. Yamcha and Raditz were still absent from the area, but Goku came to her as fast as he could. His wild hair bounced as he walked and his grin was as wide and as bright as she had ever seen it.

Without even asking, he picked her up in his arms, being mindful of her injured arm. She wanted to tell him not to worry about it. She wanted to tell him that he shouldn't be picking her up with his leg and all. But with the bright grin on his face, she just didn't have it in her to scold him right now. If they fell because of his weak leg, she would make sure to laugh and not berate him. He looked _far_ too happy to bug him about anything else.

“Chi-Chi,” he breathed, sounding out of breath as if he had been holding it this whole time. “You did it. You won for me.”

Tears nearly hit her eyes when he said it out loud like that. Her heart beat warmly inside her chest. And her memory handed her the perfect response.

“ _Goku, how'd it go?”_

“ _Great! I thought of you, and everything else came with it.”_

Reaching up with her good arm, she pressed her hand to his cheek and smiled back at him. “I'm glad. I thought of you, you know, and everything else came with it.”

The way his eyes lit up made her victory, her gift, feel all the more complete and all the more satisfying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta readers and critique partner Kairi and Maiika. You guys are both super helpful and I appreciate it very much.
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading this. If you want to offer more support, you can check out my patreon at patreon.com/Reda - extra drabbles, personal requested one shots, early access, and more! Most everything does eventually make its way into the public sphere, so don't worry about me holding anything big from you. Oh! And I'm starting to post original fiction tidbits there as well, if you are at all interested. Either way, supporting through patreon or reviews or kudos or however you decide to show your support - I appreciate you all :)


	21. Part 17: We Loved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [After high school graduation...]
> 
> [Friendly warning: Sexual content in this chapter.]

 

Goku never would get used to the smell of hospitals. A mix of cleaning substances and a pervasive sense of _sick_ hung in the air. He didn't like it. He rubbed at his nose and grimaced, wishing the scent wasn't so strong. Why was it always so strong?

“Goku, m'boy,” his grandfather said from the bed, “You make sure you bring that diploma home this time.”

Scratching his cheek, Goku gave a light laugh. “Yeah, don't worry. I won't forget it.”

His grandfather smiled at him, the wrinkles crinkling around his eyes. A light still shined there, but it was so much dimmer than what he remembered. Grandpa Gohan had always said he was getting old like he was prepared for this eventual moment. Being face-to-face with the harsh truth was a little harder for Goku to swallow, even if his grandfather seemed so at peace.

Blue sheets and whitewashed walls. The last time Goku had been in such a setting was when he'd been shot. Not the most pleasant of memories. Even now, he set his hands on his knees and glared down at his leg as if he could erase the events that had led to it all. Maybe if he hadn't gotten into that fight, his grandfather wouldn't have needed to give up his own medicine to help pay for Goku's hospital bills. They had given up so much to pay for those bills…

Of course _now_ they had money, but it was a case of too little, too late. Besides, Goku didn't have an endless supply. He'd already used quite a lot of the cash Chi-Chi's dad had given him. He'd started going to physical therapy and set his grandfather up in the hospital, so he could at least last through graduation.

And…

“Goku,” Grandpa Gohan murmured, “did you choose a ring yet?”

Lifting his head, Goku felt the heat rush to his face as he instinctively reached to pat at his jeans pocket. “Ah, well -”

“You better ask that sweet girl to marry you, Goku,” his grandfather went on with a smile. “I have a sure feeling she'll say yes.”

“Ahm.”

“After everything she's done for you -”

“Right,” Goku interrupted, clearing his throat. “I got one. It's not as flashy as some of the popular ones, but I think she'll like it. Chi-Chi doesn't really go for the flashy stuff the way Bulma does.”

“Of course not. She's far more sensible. I like that girl. She's good for you.”

“Mm...”

The hum was about the only response he had, having that weird sense of deja vu. The past week or so his grandfather had been pushing him about Chi-Chi. They had both graduated. They weren't really too young anymore. Adults. Ready to face the world.

He sure hoped Chi-Chi wanted to stay with him.

The ring and proposal hadn't really been his idea in the first place, but the more Goku thought about it, the more he wanted to do it. He wanted Chi-Chi to stay here so he could thank her for everything. So he could do nice things for her after all the nice things she had done for him.

She'd won the tournament for him. She'd tutored him so he could graduate on time with decent grades. She'd been with him through so much.

And right now she was packing in her apartment, getting ready to move back to her hometown in the mountains. Of course. Graduation was over. Chi-Chi was ready to move on. Ready to go to college and who knew what else, while he stayed here.

She was going to leave, maybe for good, and that thought bothered him. More than he expected it to. So much so that he caved to the pressure from his grandfather and seriously considered marriage for the first time ever. Without Grandpa Gohan to bring it up, Goku probably would have said goodbye to Chi-Chi and regretted it later.

But now…

Reaching up to scratch at his head, Goku glanced around the hospital room. Magazines were scattered on the one small table. Magazines of jewelry options that his grandfather had _somehow_ gotten a hold of. They'd looked through all sorts of options together, but at the end of the day it was Goku's choice. And now he'd made it.

Amid the pile of magazines sat Goku's high school diploma. Grandpa Gohan hadn't made it to the ceremony because the hospital refused to let him go, but Goku had come by later to show everything off. He even had a video on his phone thanks to Chi-Chi's dad for recording it all. So his grandpa didn't have to feel like he missed anything important.

He wished his grandfather wouldn't have to miss anything else. Deep down Goku had always known that eventually this would happen, that his grandfather couldn't possibly be there _forever_. But…

“Goku, m'boy, go on and ask that girl,” Grandpa Gohan murmured. “I'm sure her father will give you two a grand wedding.”

Tears pricked the edges of his eyes but Goku shook them away with a smile. “Right...”

_If Chi-Chi even says yes…_

~!~

Chi-Chi sat on the floor, collecting the small things she had gathered together from her shelves. One by one, she set them into the box in front of her. Little collectible figures that her father would gift to her every year. She'd already put her mother's china in a separate box, but other small breakables were going in here, protected by packing material and bubble wrap.

She picked up the trophy she had earned from this year's school tournament and took a moment to stare down at it with a smile. She still couldn't believe she'd won. After all that struggle and all that preparation, she'd somehow managed to come out on top in the end. It was still somewhat of a miracle, still felt like a dream, especially because of how Goku had jumped in and carried her off after winning. Not exactly a fairytale come true, but close enough.

Even with his weak leg, he had carried her off. He'd taken her to the nearby school nurse, who was on standby in the gym of course, and then he'd helped clean and bandage her smaller wounds as the nurse had her arm put in a temporary sling. A later visit to the hospital – after quite the romantic walk through the rain – revealed nothing serious in her injury and her arm healed itself in no time without much fuss at all.

Of course, she'd been back on the tournament stage for the little award ceremony. Received a trophy. Been interviewed. Turned down an offer to a team. Become the talk of the town for a little while…

Eventually, things died down and life returned to normal. Chi-Chi sighed as she packed the trophy amid the other memorabilia. High school away from home had been filled with so many memories. Mostly good ones, too, thankfully.

Though saying goodbye to Goku was going to be hard.

She didn't _want_ to say goodbye, to be honest. She was torn. A part of her believed the next logical step from high school would be college. She knew that. She had planned for it. Participating in the school tournament had originally been meant to add flare to her college applications. Not everyone joined a martial arts tournament. It would set her apart from other applicants. It ended up becoming so much more, but…

Chi-Chi barked a quiet laugh at herself. _What_ college applications? She should have been applying months ago. At worst, she should have been sending in applications since winning the school martial arts tournament. But she hadn't.

Not a single one had been sent out.

Why was that? Was she that caught up by Goku? Her father would be happy. He actually wanted her to marry at some point. He wanted grandkids almost as much as she longed for children herself. But she'd always been so focused on other commonly accepted life goals, even if the longing in her heart was to settle down and raise a simple family, regardless of the amount of income she could bring in. Besides, if she went the traditional route, she'd be relying on a husband for the income anyway.

Could she rely on Goku for that? His leg was getting better and he had graduated high school with good marks, but what were his plans? Originally, he'd been set to join a national martial arts team. Of course that had been dashed the night he'd been caught getting involved in gang activities. The night he'd been shot.

Now…

Well, now what?

A phone ring accented her questioning thoughts, chiming effortlessly through the stale air of the mostly empty apartment. Chi-Chi pushed to her feet, leaving everything either in the box or beside it for now. Walking through the simple maze of stacked boxes, she reached the kitchen where she had last left her phone. It sat on the counter, buzzing and ringing lightly with an echo that bounced around the empty kitchen. She'd already packed her cooking wares and most of the food she was going to take with her. Though, she _had_ decided to give most of her food to Goku so she didn't have to worry about moving with it _and_ she could leave him with something.

A glance down at the phone showed her who was calling and her hand sped up to answer quickly. “Goku?”

“ _Ah – Chi-Chi.”_

He sounded...different.

Chi-Chi frowned. She knew his grandfather was currently in the hospital and that Goku was over there almost every day. “Everything okay, Goku?”

“ _Huh?”_ His voice had a slight tremor, but she couldn't really peg why; he didn't _sound_ upset. Then again, that emotion was pretty rare to come from him. He was ever the optimist, after all. _“Oh, I'm fine. I just – I want to talk to you about something.”_

She smiled. “You don't have to come over to talk, you know. What is it?”

“ _Ah, actually, for this, I -”_ He cleared his throat. _“You want some help packing your stuff or anything? You're still not done yet, right?”_

“Help would be nice,” she admitted. “I still haven't rented the truck yet, though. That's when I'll really need help moving, but my Papa's coming tomorrow to-”

“ _Right,”_ he interrupted. _“I know. I just...heh…I can come over now, right?”_

Oh, he was so sweet to insist on it. She was sure the other guys, his friends, would have helped if she'd asked. But Goku knew she was packing up after the school days and was offering to help without her having to ask at all. Even though she would be moving away from him.

She frowned. If she was in his position, she wasn't sure she would have been as brave. Then again, maybe he didn't like her _that_ much after all. Maybe she was the only one who had grown far too close. He could say whatever he wanted, be as sweet as he wanted, but at the end of the day… it was just a high school fling wasn't it?

Or was he just a glutton for punishment? Helping her move meant she would be spending less time in town. Less time with him overall, even if he was with her as that time shrunk.

“ _Chi-Chi?”_

She blinked as his warm voice came over the phone receiver. She'd dazed out and forgotten to answer. “Oh, yeah, you can come over, Goku. I'd appreciate the help.”

“ _All right,”_ he murmured softly. _“I'm leaving the hospital now so it won't be too long. I'm riding my bike again and everything.”_

A part of her wanted to berate him over that, but if he could handle riding the bike, then she had to allow him space to do so. He wasn't crippled into that bad of disability anymore. The physical therapy was helping. It wasn't a perfect cure-all, of course, but whatever they were doing had been helping. Even in such a short time. She should be glad for that, let him move into his other activities at whatever pace he felt comfortable with now. Technically she was still his girlfriend, but she didn't have any right to deny him his choice. As much as she wanted him to stay safe.

“Okay,” she murmured. “Be careful.”

“ _I know, Chi,”_ he said with a light bounce in his voice. _“You don't have to worry.”_

“Right...” she breathed. “Well, see you soon, then.”

“ _See ya, Chi.”_

He hung up the phone and she did the same, setting it back on the kitchen counter with a hum. What was she going to have him do when he got here anyway? Maybe she should make tea. With a nod, Chi-Chi turned around to do just that, searching through the open boxes to find the tea kettle and a smaller box of tea bags. Green tea would work. Something simple and still somewhat traditional, even if it wasn't made in the old style at all. She was sure Goku's grandfather had a special recipe when it came to making his tea, something she never had figured out, though she kept trying.

The elderly always had their own secrets when it came to cooking. Or teas. Or random traditional matters that had been forgotten by the general populace. Everything was so modern these days. She kind of missed the country air of her youth. Even the mountain village she had grown up in had turned into a more modern-looking town, what with the farming equipment and business her father had brought to the land.

His “little kingdom.”

She snorted. One day, she hoped her father would come teach Goku a thing or two about farming. There was so much land that would be in his name soon. She wanted her high school boyfriend to at least be prepared to handle it all. It would be so sad to see it go to waste. With so many of the trees cut down, he could cultivate it into so much more now, after all.

Chi-Chi had seen her father teach many people over the years. Sure, he wouldn't earn anything for helping Goku out, but after all he'd done for that boy already… a little more couldn't hurt, right? She'd have to talk with her Papa once he came down with the truck to help move her back to their home. She'd have to find some college to apply to eventually, as well. So much to do. School was over. She'd have thought things would have calmed down after graduation. Instead her thoughts seemed to be everywhere.

Well, maybe not everywhere.

She kept coming back to Goku, after all. Her face heated at the realization and she turned quickly to fill the tea kettle and boil some water. Why was she blushing? It wasn't like anyone else knew what she was thinking about – or who she was thinking about. Still, the idea that she kept thinking of Goku…

Chi-Chi sighed, leaning forward on the counter, strands escaping from her ponytail to fall in front of her face for a moment. She'd hadn't prepared for the time after high school. She hadn't prepared at all. She _should_ have. She should have it all lined up. She had good marks. She could probably make the cut into some nicer schools in the country.

But did she _want_ to?

Snorting to herself, she stood up straighter and stretched. Of course she wanted to. What else was she going to do with her life? Stay here and bother Goku for eternity? She couldn't do that. A high school fling was just that – a high school fling. No matter how close it felt. No matter how much she wanted to believe…

No. She _was_ in love. She had to admit that. Foolish or not, it was there and it wasn't going away. Tears hit her eyes, tears that she brushed away quickly. The feeling wasn't going away. It had snuck up on her this past year. Just thinking of him coming over to help her with packing brought both joy and sorrow to her heart. She would get to see him. Hang out with him.

And then say goodbye.

A knock at the door made her shake away the excess tears, rubbing her face clean with her hand. Goku was here. Already. She smiled, a soft, small smile as she left the kitchen to walk toward the front door of her apartment. Once again, she navigated through the simple maze of stacked boxes and walked down the front entryway to open the door.

He had said he wouldn't be long. Coming from the hospital where his grandfather was set up in a nice room with gentle caretakers. She couldn't be crying when she opened the door. She had to smile. Goku had too much else on his mind that could make him upset, and she didn't want to accidentally get him thinking of things worth crying over. Not yet. His grandfather wasn't in the best shape, and he was pretty old, but, well, _not yet._

So Chi-Chi smiled as she opened the door, and Goku's return smile lit everything up inside her. A rush of feelings that threatened to break free, just at seeing him grin at her with the sun peeking out from that wild hair of his. It was like some movie.

Oh, she was definitely in love with him.

“Hiya, Chi,” he said, stepping in without even waiting for her to technically allow it, not that she minded in the least. “Looks like you've got a lot done already, huh?”

“Y-yeah,” she murmured, closing the door. “I don't have all that much left to pack, to be honest, so I started some tea. In case you just wanted to, uh, sit and chat for a while instead. The little stuff can wait.”

“Oh, sure,” Goku said with a shrug. “That's fine, too.”

For a moment, Chi-Chi had to stare at him in the hallway. He wasn't wearing his usual casual wear. He actually looked well dressed. Well, somewhat. Goku's hands were deep into his jeans pockets, which was more of a typical casual wear for a high schooler, even a freshly graduated one. The button-down red shirt, though, looked odd. Sure, it was open and revealed a black undershirt beneath it, but what kind of occasion could be important enough to get Goku to wear a nice dress shirt in the first place?

She frowned. Was he going to some get-together with his friends? Something he hadn't invited her to? That couldn't be right, could it? Then again, she _was_ planning to move out tomorrow. Had he decided not to tell her just because he thought she would be too busy? Maybe…

“Is that a new dress?” Goku asked, breaking her from her worried thoughts. “I don't think I've seen you wear yellow before.”

Face heating, Chi-Chi brushed past him as she shook her head. “No, it's not new. It's actually from my mother. It's something she used to wear around the house when she was cleaning, apparently.”

“Apparently?”

Pausing in the doorway of the kitchen, Chi-Chi sighed. “Yeah, I mean, I don't really remember her. She died when I was real young.”

“Oh,” Goku murmured. “Sorry.”

With a shake of the head, feeling her ponytail brush across her bare shoulders, Chi-Chi walked to the stove top. Thankfully, the tea kettle was whistling, so she had a distraction from the awkward silence. She could have sworn she had mentioned her mother to Goku before, but maybe not. It wasn't exactly one of those things she could talk about, especially because she didn't know enough about her _to_ share anything. Her father was surprisingly tight-lipped about a lot of things.

Except when it came to the clothes. Her father always handed off her mother's clothes, happy as could be to see Chi-Chi wearing the same dresses. Though now, she was aware of her bare legs and knees showing. Traditionally, this was a fun inside dress, an acceptable summer dress for the countryside. Even after wearing short skirts for the school uniform, she felt strangely scandalous showing so much skin in front of Goku. Which didn't make any sense. He'd seen everything before. What did it matter what she was wearing? Besides, only he could see her now anyway. That made it perfectly all right.

Shaking the blush away, Chi-Chi snatched the tea kettle from the hot stove top burner and moved it to a burner that wasn't on, turning off the stove completely in the process. Then it was simply a matter of grabbing a couple of mugs from one of the nearby boxes. She had packed everything but left a few things within easy reach for a reason. One never knew when a good cup of tea would come in handy. Like today.

“You like green tea, right?”

“Hm?” Goku hummed behind her, a quick glance showing him hovering in the doorway, one hand still in his pocket. “Oh. Yeah. Sure.”

She frowned. He seemed a little distant all of a sudden. What was that about? Dare she ask? After all, Goku had come from the hospital. Maybe his grandfather wasn't doing well. It was one of those things that seemed kind of inevitable at this point, but she couldn't imagine it being easy on him. Thinking about it was hardly easy on her and she had only known the old man for less than a year.

Best to distract Goku, then. She snorted to herself as she filled the mugs with hot water and dipped the tea bags. She'd already decided she would distract him. She should work harder. Of course she knew a perfect distraction, but somehow that felt a little inappropriate right now. As comfortable as they were with each other, surprise kisses had their time and place.

As she chewed on her bottom lip, Chi-Chi turned around and forced a smile for him. “So do you have any plans?”

Goku's dark eyes focused in on her, coming back from the distance of his inner thoughts. “Huh? Plans? Like what?”

“Oh, you know, since the martial arts team isn't really a thing anymore.”

A slight wince crossed his face at the reminder and she berated herself for bringing it up, but then his laughter calmed her heart, especially when he scratched his cheek almost bashfully. “Yeah, uhm, well Master Roshi said he'd take me on as an assistant coach. He's gonna retire soon, ya know. I don't think I can get his job exactly cause I'd have to go to college for teaching and all, but he might be able to make it so the school keeps me on as something. I could really do something good for the Turtle School team, especially since they found out I helped you train for this past tournament.”

“Oh,” Chi-Chi said, taking a moment to process everything he had explained before she grinned. “So you _do_ have a source of income.”

“Ah, yeah,” Goku shrugged. “It won't be much, though, and it won't be near as fun as actually fighting myself. But it's something at least, right?”

She didn't need to go to college. She could find something here. She could sit right here in this town and be with Goku. Her dreams could come true, after all. He could provide. At least a little. And she could help. She wasn't sure what yet, but -

Of course she still needed to ask him. And the words got a little caught in her throat. Would he even want to? Did he think about those kinds of things? Or was she just his girlfriend? A silly high school fling, right?

 _After all_ , she thought, _he is dressed up for something special that he didn't warn me about; maybe once I move he'll forget all about me. He's not as serious as I am. I'm the one falling in love too young._

~!~

Goku fingered the ring box in his pocket, biting the inside of his cheek as he tried to think of how to bring it up. His grandfather had insisted. Grandpa Gohan really wanted him to ask, and honestly, he wanted to as well. Seeing all of Chi-Chi's apartment packed away was like a shock to his stomach. She really was going to be moving away soon.

Tomorrow, even, if he remembered right. She'd said something about her father coming tomorrow with the truck, right? So he really couldn't put it off.

But…

He hadn't ever done something like this before. He hadn't even witnessed it. He didn't watch the romance shows or read the books or pay attention to what girls wanted. Bulma certainly never mentioned marriage. She clung to Vegeta like a hawk, but the thought of staying with someone forever had never crossed _her_ mind. Or at least, she had never talked about it.

Was Chi-Chi thinking of it?

Goku sighed and rubbed the back of his head, glancing up to the ceiling for a moment. It was hard to think right now. Everything seemed so fuzzy and out of focus. Like he was nervous. He was never nervous. And it wasn't so much that he didn't want to mess up or anything – he just wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. His grandfather had talked like there was a specific question he was supposed to ask. What was it? Something as simple as “do you want to get married?” or -

“Hey, Goku,” Chi-Chi whispered. “We can set up the small table in the other room. Not the _kotatsu_ , cause it's not winter, but there's another one against the wall. Behind some boxes.”

He blinked down at her, smiling at the way she looked in the yellow dress, the subtle flower print design calling back to an older time. He always liked it when she wore older styles; she looked good in the old-fashioned dresses, though her bare feet made it clear she was only intending to wear the summer dress indoors.

“Yeah,” Goku said, reaching for one of the tea mugs in her hand. “I'll set it up.”

Chi-Chi snatched the mugs away from him. “Well then let me hold these. Easier to set up a table with both hands, don't you think?”

“Ah – yeah. Right.”

With a light laugh, Goku turned to walk into the little living room area. He could remember watching her practice her _kata_ in here. Each move having a sense of flow even to her unpracticed style. Well, most of her movements, at least. She was pretty good for having mostly taught herself, and then his training and decision to show her the technique from another martial arts school had helped her win the tournament in the end. She'd come a long way. His heart swelled with pride even thinking about it, pride and gratitude for all the work and effort she had put into winning for him.

For him.

Goku closed his eyes and pulled his hand out of his pocket, leaving the ring box for now. Spotting the small table against the far wall, he slid through the maze of boxes stacked all around the room and pulled the table down, finding an open place near the center. She had a pile of small keepsakes next to an open box on the floor, probably one of the last things she'd decided to pack up; a quick glance showed him the edge of her tournament trophy and he grinned again.

Sitting down with his legs crossed, Goku took the mug offered to him and smiled as Chi-Chi sat in front of him. “Hey, Chi-Chi, I know they gave you a medal and trophy for winning the tournament. Was there anything else?”

She nodded slowly. “A small check of money. I could give it to you, if you want.”

“What? Why would I want it?”

“Well,” she hummed, “you did help me out, you know. I figured you should have something, too. You would have won if things had worked out differently, I'm sure.”

Goku laughed. “Yeah, but -”

Before he could explain, Chi-Chi slammed her mug on the table and leaned forward, eyes piercing his own with sudden ferocity. She took a deep breath and - “Will you marry me?”

Silence danced between them.

Goku had to blink a couple times, mouth hanging open. “Wh-what?”

“Will you marry me?” Chi-Chi repeated, eyes shaking even as they struggled to hold their fire. “I know you're supposed to be the one to ask if we keep it all traditional, but I don't know if you will or not and I -”

“Ah heh, _Chi_ ,” Goku whined, setting his mug down so he could pull out the ring box and set it on the table between them. “I kinda -”

Her eyes widened in an instant. “Goku! You didn't!”

“I wasn't sure when to ask,” he mumbled. “But-”

“Yes!” Chi-Chi exclaimed, snatching the ring box and opening it, eyes positively glowing as she slowly looked away from the ring inside to meet his gaze. “Oh, Goku...”

Scratching his cheek, he tried to ignore the heat coming from his face. “I mean, I guess I have to say yes, too, now, huh? I didn't think you would ask. Grandpa didn't warn me about tha-”

Lips crashed into his own, a hand snatching at his shirt and dragging him closer to her. The table between them made it a little awkward, but Chi-Chi's fire was definitely there as she took complete charge of the kiss. He rode it out, letting her do what she wanted, letting her lead, as she dug into the collar of his open red button-down shirt and pulled him against her. His waist pressed into the table edge but he ignored it, closing his eyes as he let her fire consume him completely.

He could practically feel her happiness radiating from the kiss. So much emotion that she couldn't put into words coming through in her touch. Goku hummed, wondering how she had managed to put the ring on so fast, though he knew she would like it. At least, he was pretty sure the kiss meant she liked it. Or maybe she was just excited that they'd both had the same idea.

They'd both had the idea to get married. Well, he'd gotten the idea from his grandfather, but still – he was glad. It meant she was going to stay with him. She wasn't going to move away. She would be here forever. He wouldn't have to worry about her finding someone else or never being able to repay her for all the good things she'd done for him.

Chi-Chi was going to marry him.

When they finally broke the kiss, he still couldn't move away from her grip and he had to grin, seeing the glow in her eyes, in her _face_. “So, uh, I guess you'll have to move everything into my house, huh? Sorry it's kinda small.”

“My Papa will build us something bigger if I ask him.”

Goku blinked. “He will?”

Chi-Chi nodded, finally letting him go to sit back. “And he'll teach you farming, too. That'll be helpful. We could have our own garden and sell the extra produce.”

“Farming?” Goku raised an eyebrow. “Do I have to?”

“It's a good idea, Goku; it means we won't have to worry about how much money we make,” she said, bringing her hands to the tea mug, a little glimmer from the small diamonds reflecting from the sunlight. “That'll be good if we want to have children.”

“Ah, I guess so,” he hummed. He hadn't really thought about having kids, yet. Had Chi-Chi really been thinking this far ahead? “We kinda need to have sex to have kids, though.”

A flash of something crossed through Chi-Chi's eyes. He wasn't sure if he'd seen it correctly, but the way she lifted her mug and took a sip of her tea, the way her eyes trained on his… he had to tilt his head. And then smirk a little.

“You know, Goku,” she whispered, her voice hitting a certain range and softness as it wrapped around her words, “I kind of want to kiss you again.”

“Kiss?” He whined. “Chi, can't we do more than tha – huh – hey, where are you going?”

While he had been talking, Chi-Chi had stood up and walked around the table, passing right by him without a word. So, naturally, Goku clambered to his feet and chased after her. Leaving the two mugs on the small table amid all the packing tape and brown boxes, Goku and Chi-Chi stepped into the apartment bedroom together. Why go through all that trouble of brewing tea if they weren't even going to drink it? What was she-?

The question sat at the edge of his tongue, but Chi-Chi flicked a lamp on and spoke before he could get the words out of his mouth. “The bed doesn't have any sheets on it. I was just going to sleep with a blanket, but I'd rather have a sheet now, don't you thi-”

This time, he interrupted her, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around to slam his mouth against hers. Her words were enough indication for him to understand what she was planning. Besides, she had said she wanted to kiss again. Well, they could at least start with kissing.

Kissing was always good.

Especially when she had practically promised more than that later. Wrapping his arms around her, one hand resting at her back, the other moving up behind her head, Goku dug his hands into her ponytail, finding the one scrunchie holding everything back. As gently as possible so as not to pull her hair, he unwound the scrunchie and slipped it out, releasing her long black hair to the air, allowing him more freedom with his hands to run through the strands and rub at her head.

Chi-Chi moaned into the kiss, her tongue tapping at his own, one of her own hands going up to tug at his wild spikes of hair. One merciless tug caused a slight splash of pain that made him shiver as she soon turned to scratching at his neck instead. It wasn't long before that hand joined the other, though, as she worked to pull his nicer red shirt off.

Eventually, he had to relent his grip on her in order to allow her to take the shirt off completely, but he only let go with one arm at a time, quick to regain his control on the kiss as well. This was different from the last time they were in her apartment. They weren't drunk. They weren't high. They were lucid and willing. And they'd just promised to be together for life, even if the ceremony, the actual wedding, still needed to be planned. To them, they were free to make this decision now. Asking the question, saying yes, it was enough of a commitment, and finally deciding to go all the way with each other was an even greater commitment. A way to say, _yes, I meant what I said, I'm not leaving._

Goku hadn't felt like this for any other person in his life. He didn't want to lose her. He wanted to stay with her forever. Granted, he didn't feel any need to be physically around her all the time, but the knowledge that he could go somewhere, or that she could go somewhere, and always come back – that was something he wanted. No matter what happened now, they would stick together. Through it all. He wasn't sure what vows were going to be said at the wedding itself, or how he was supposed to plan any of that, though he had a feeling Chi-Chi's father and Grandpa Gohan would help out.

For now, it was just him and Chi-Chi. For now, they were together. For now, they were all that mattered. _She_ was all that mattered. To him, nothing else came close. Nothing else at all.

And he wanted to make sure she knew that.

~!~

Chi-Chi gasped away from the kiss to catch her breath, bringing her hands up to his chest, pushing lightly as if to tell him to give her time. He had gotten so fierce all of a sudden. His eyes burned, as if with some desire that he'd been hiding all this time. It made her heart beat faster.

“Chi-Chi,” he whispered, breathing heavy himself. “I think it's okay, but I still want to ask. Can we-”

“Yes,” she interrupted, springing forward to kiss at his neck and make him groan a little. “Yes, Goku, we can have sex. You don't have to ask anymore.”

His arms wrapped close around her, while she lightly grazed her nails along his chest. Or at least along the black undershirt that was tight against his chest, muscles still well defined beneath the thin article of clothing. His hands dropped to her hips, rubbing circles with his thumbs into the slight dip in her skin from hip to waist. Her hands moved in response, going up over his shoulders to scratch at the bare skin around the sleeveless undershirt. Pressed up against him, she could hear him growl in the back of his throat, a sign that her ministrations were at least doing something to cause a reaction.

Lips lifting into a smile, Chi-Chi slid a hand under the tight shirt, slowly working her fingers around the skin of his shoulder blades. Goku responded by dropping his mouth to her neck, nipping lightly near a pressure point. She gasped immediately, the fire rushing through her veins, settling in her stomach as her eyelids fluttered from the continuing attention.

“Goku,” she whispered, moaned. “Goku, wait.”

He groaned, whispering back, teeth ever so lightly grazing along the point where her neck met her jawline. “Why?”

“Let me unpack the sheet at least,” she said, the tremor mostly gone from her voice. “Before we get carried away, you know?”

Wild spikes of hair tickled at her cheek as he lowered his head, whining against her neck. He didn't want to stop. To be honest, she didn't either. But she'd much rather have something comfortable to wrap up in, whether they ever made it to the bed or not. Heat flushed in her cheeks at the thought. Would she even care if they wound up on the floor tonight?

No, probably not.

Come to think of it, they'd been on the floor the first time. Still in underwear. Not all the way. Up against the door. Well, they could stand to be a little bit more civilized this time. Or at least they could try.

So, taking a breath, she pulled away from Goku for now, slipping away from him as he dropped his grip. His eyes peeked out from the edges of his bangs, and Chi-Chi had to swallow at the deepening smolder in his eyes. It really was like some romance movie, some corny little fairytale coming true at the end of her high school year. She couldn't remember Goku ever looking like this before, but was that because he was different or she was simply allowing herself to see him how she wanted to now?

Love did strange things to people, after all. Why not change her perceptions while the feelings coursed through her body? Feelings that were begging her to jump into his arms and cling to him without remorse. If she were drunk, she surely would have jumped. Now, she had a handle on her emotions – not a very _strong_ handle, but more than she had that one time for sure.

Of course, the time after the party wasn't the only moment of intimacy between her and Goku. There had been the night before her kidnapping, too. Out in the woods. When the trees surrounded them by the lake and they'd sparred a little out among the nature. That had been an adventure as well. One she had stopped right before they could tip over into a realm of no return.

Oh, she was tipping into that realm now, though. Tipping so far. She wanted to hold her breath, and yet her heart pounded, blood pumping loudly in her ears.

All from a single look from his sweet, dark eyes.

Yeah, smolder was a good word for it, corny romantic line or not. Taking a deep breath, Chi-Chi turned away from the gaze of her boyfriend – fiance – as she set her sights on the box sitting against the wall close by. Thankfully, she didn't have to walk across the whole bedroom. The furniture piece was still there, the dresser where she kept her lamp and charger for her phone, as well as the one chair resting in the corner, a chair Goku had practically slept in the night of the disastrous party. The box with her bedsheets was on the floor against the wall close to the bed and the dresser. Not far at all.

Before she could take more than a step, Chi-Chi felt a tug at her waist. She paused, glancing over her shoulder. Goku was hanging onto the tie at the back of her dress. She frowned, ready to berate him for stopping her, but then she realized he wasn't simply holding on. He was untying it. And reaching up to undo the buttons in the back, too.

She gulped, words on the tip of her tongue. His lips came down to touch the back of her neck, nipping playfully as he undid the back of her dress. Little by little pulling it away from her. She wasn't sure what to say or do except stand there as his hands slipped under her dress, pushing the straps off her shoulders. Especially when his tongue quickly followed, sucking at her skin. Her very, very warm skin.

“Goku,” she breathed, trying to put a hint of dissatisfaction into her voice, regardless of how the heat rushed through her body with every small touch from his mouth.

“Shh,” he murmured against her shoulder. “I'll let you get the sheets in a second. I thought I could surprise you a bit first.”

“S-surprise?”

Was that the name of the game now? Since he had gotten the go-ahead, it was now a game of surprising her? No longer needing to ask permission, Goku decided _now_ to be impatient and playful? Well, fine then. Two could play at that game. Now she just needed to -

A shiver coursed down her spine, the heat spreading down beneath her stomach. Her dress was off, a pool of yellow at her feet, and his hands weren't stopping. Fingers lightly stroked down her chest, slipping under her bra to squeeze at a breast, poking a nipple, all while his teeth grazed at the strap at her back.

She wanted to get back at him for surprising her, but she also didn't want to move. Not now. Not yet. It felt too good to move just yet. Let him keep doing that. Just a little bit longer…

~!~

Delicious sounded like a strange word to come to mind, but it hit him as he nibbled on Chi-Chi's skin. He liked touching her, licking her, being playful with her, especially when the sounds she made told him she liked what he was doing, too. She was so warm. He didn't want to stop touching her. Not yet.

With her dress off there were only a few items of clothing left. On her, at least. He'd have to take care of himself in a minute. But now Goku's attention was completely focused on Chi-Chi. On the hair he brushed through, pushing it over the side of her shoulder to hang down in front of her, leaving her back exposed. Maybe instincts were leading him somewhat – he'd never had sex before after all – but he'd already done this much with Chi-Chi. Further than this, actually. So it wasn't too new; he could still remember a few places that made her react stronger. A few little areas that brought out her gasps when he rubbed them.

Her breasts were an obvious spot, but catching her unaware made it better. Unaware but willing. When she didn't fight him, didn't even try to break away to continue her plan to grab the sheets, Goku knew she was okay with this. He'd taken a chance, but there was a fire building inside him, something that had been steadily building since he first met her, maybe. Something that wanted to burst free. Something that he wanted to share with her, only her.

Finally, Goku managed to unhook Chi-Chi's bra, though he may have ripped it apart instead on accident. He'd deal with that later. Now that he had it off, he tossed it to the side, hearing it slap against the mattress of her bed. Yeah, definitely deal with that later. Both of his hands were free to grab hold of what the bra had been hiding, and he did just that, earning a small moan from his girlfriend as he pulled her back, pressed her against his chest.

She was so warm. Hot, almost. A quick glance down even showed her knees shaking a little. He heard his name whispered from her lips, feeling a flash of heat run up and down his own body at the sound, having to lick his lips to keep his mouth from drying out. Hands touched his sides as Chi-Chi tried to reach back, as if saying she wanted to hold him.

Goku smirked and brought his mouth down to her neck, finding the little pulse point near the edge of her jaw. A point that made her gasp and jerk back against him, her hips pressing dangerously close to the place where all of his own body heat was gathering.

Biting back a groan, he slid one of his hands down across the flesh of her stomach, feeling it quiver beneath his touch. A noise escaped Chi-Chi's mouth, like the beginning of a sigh, or words that were lost before they could form. He didn't give her the chance to think about what she wanted to say, protest or encouragement or something else. His fingers simply dropped down further, slipping under her panties and finding the wetness that had been gathering all this time.

“Wow, Chi,” he murmured in her ear as she moaned and bucked back against him. “You're already pretty wet. I guess that's a good thing, huh?”

A semblance of a nod came from her bobbing head, a breathy moan trying to sound like an affirmation. He smiled. She was pretty cute like this. Melting against him without any care, without being tense or anxious, without being drunk and lacking her inhibitions, just a gentle, honest, trusting relaxation and surrender to his touching. Honestly, she was more than cute. She was beautiful.

“Chi, ah -”

Words were suddenly stuck in his own throat, and he had to close his eyes, dropping his forehead to her shoulder with a groan. He pulled his fingers back, resting them on her hips, biting his lip at the urge that drove down into his groin.

“Got you,” Chi-Chi whispered.

He started to laugh, but had to cut it off as _her_ fingers moved this time and he groaned again. Somehow, in the midst of all that pleasure, Chi-Chi had managed to sneak her hand into his jeans. Into his boxers. Grabbing a hold of him and teasing her fingers along his shaft, being so delicate, and yet…

A squeeze made him groan again, whining her name. “Chi-Chi, no fair.”

Her tongue clicked between her teeth. “Goku, I told you to let me get the sheet out at least, didn't I?”

He nodded lightly against her shoulder, turning his head so he could breathe against her neck. Maybe if he teased her a little, she'd let go and let him – He groaned again as she moved her hand in a pumping motion, running along the sides, making his jeans feel far, far too tight now. How had she even gotten her hand in there without him knowing? He thought he'd had her for sure.

Apparently, she was full of surprises, too. Then again, that was probably why he was so attracted to her. She was strong enough to hold her own, stubborn enough to get him into study habits, and generous enough to spend so much of her time and money on him in the first place. He wanted to repay her, to at least make her feel good for everything she'd done, especially with all the teasing that had happened in their relationship thus far. It was time for him to give back to her, wasn't it? Or did he just want to be a little selfish now and insist on doing it his way?

Something she wasn't going to be allowing anytime soon. He had tried to take control of the situation, but she kept coming back to drag him down again.

And he kinda liked that.

“Okay, okay,” he breathed, lifting his hands from her body as he tried to stand up. “I won't touch until you get the sheet, okay.”

“Good,” she said. “You better mean it this time.”

If not for the shake in her voice, he never would have guessed how hard it was for her to pull away. Even so, he let her go, trying not to whine when she removed her hand. That _had_ felt pretty good, after all.

Now he definitely wanted to get out of his clothes. It wasn't enough to simply stare at her bare skin anymore. He needed to be free. So as Chi-Chi stepped away, Goku finally got to work and stripped himself. He hadn't said she would have control the whole time. He'd leave her alone just long enough for her to pull the sheet from the box. Then, he'd pounce.

Surprises were too much fun to stop now.

~!~

Chi-Chi took a deep breath as she finally managed to slide away from Goku's incredible presence. She didn't _want_ to, not really. Her more basic urges were screaming for more, always for more. But she had her mind intact and she wasn't going to give in – not yet. No matter how much she wanted to just melt and let him do what he pleased. If this was going to be their first time, she wanted it to mean something, and she wanted to avoid any awkward positions that would be the cause of pain or cramps later. Hence why she wanted the bed sheet. So they could have something soft to lay on, in case they decided to just drop to the floor and throw all cares to the wayside.

...she was already planning without the bed in mind. Well, at least she was willing to accept the more likely of scenarios. Though thinking on it too much brought more warmth into her body, more of a need to turn back to Goku and jump him right then. Turn back and forget the sheet. Turn back and let it all go.

Thankfully, she did make it to the boxes against the wall, hardly hearing Goku stripping out of his clothes behind her. The air was a little cool on her skin now, making her nipples harden, and she had to bite her lip as she fought the urge to rush back to her fiance's warmth. (The word fiance in her mind made her giddy, even if she was having to make an effort to think _that_ instead of boyfriend).

Pulling the box open, Chi-Chi reached in quickly to grab the first sheet she could touch, the blue one on top. As soon as she had it in hand, a powerful grip clenched around her wrist from behind. Goku. Her breath caught as he snatched the bed sheet from her, and she spun around, ready to give him a piece of her mind. Only… his lips crashed down on hers as soon as she spun and the sheet enveloped her from behind, pressing down on her head as Goku held it firm while kissing her.

A moan filtered from the back of her throat into his mouth and she felt him smirk even as he slowly pulled away. His eyes met hers, twinkling with mischief. Part of her wanted to smack him playfully for catching her off guard again. Another part couldn't help but let her heart soar at the way he gazed at her. Eyes so soft and tender even with the budding fire building behind them as he glanced down and smiled.

She opened her mouth, ready to say something in the silence, but she was surprised yet again when his arms bent down to pick her up. Carrying her with the sheet at her back, holding her in his arms like a princess in some romantic movie. Oh, why couldn't she get the thought of movies out of her mind? Was she _that_ in love? That caught?

...Did it matter?

Goku carried her to the bed, setting her down gently with the sheet still behind her. Chi-Chi smiled up at him for a moment, freezing time as if she could take a snapshot in her mind. At his wild hair poking out in oddly specific directions, the same pattern no matter the day. At his deep, dark eyes looking her over. At his grin lighting up the room. And below that… his perfectly sculpted martial artist body. Well defined chest muscles, abs, all the way down to his legs, and what lay between…

She gulped and quickly brought her eyes to his gaze again, feeling the blush coating her cheeks. The bright grin changed to a small smirk as if he knew why she had gone red in the face. She had half a mind to smack him for silently making fun of her, but then his hands were pulling her panties off. The last article of clothing in the way, now going down her legs, now falling to the side of the bed to lay on the floor. She gulped again as cool air hit her down below and then she gasped loudly as warm air soon followed, as Goku lowered his head between her legs and gave the same treatment he had given while they'd played in the woods.

Arms shaking against the bed, Chi-Chi slowly brought her fingers to his hair, pressing down the wild spikes as if she could fix the strands into a more appropriate style. Hands massaging her thighs and a certain talented tongue made her tug at the strands instead of petting lightly. Tug and pull as she moaned his name through her breaths.

It wasn't long before he pulled back, not even allowing her to reach a climax first. Whining a little, Chi-Chi tried not to pout.

She did anyway. “Goku...”

“Ah, sorry,” he mumbled, a strain to his voice. “My leg kinda hurts.”

Understanding flashed through her as her eyes widened. He shouldn't be in this position. It was too much of a strain. His legs were probably cramping a little and that alone wasn't good. Not to mention he'd been riding his bike earlier, and with how often he'd been riding his bike lately, that most likely added to the strain. She was no medical expert, but if he was in pain then -

Well, it wasn't like they had to stop or anything.

Taking a breath, getting a grip on his shoulders, Chi-Chi focused her strength and drew upon the wealth of power she knew she possessed. Enough to flip them around. Enough to lay him flat on his back and sit on top of him, straddling his waist with a smirk of her own.

“That's fine,” she whispered, leaning down to kiss his upper lip as his mouth opened in shock. “We can do it this way.”

Oh, her face was red for sure. She could feel the heat climbing all the way up her neck as hair fell across her shoulders, covering her breasts. Goku stared up at her and shut his mouth slowly. He really did look like he'd gone into shock as she hovered above him. His hands were in the air close to her sides, as if he hadn't quite processed that she was no longer beneath him.

Taking a breath, she sat up straighter and pushed herself back, sliding over him until she could feel a poke at her opening. With one hand, she reached down to grab him, lifting herself up by her knees. She was a virgin, but she was also no stranger to positioning with sex. Well, maybe when it came to the more out-there styles, but this was a common enough concept to grasp, especially when listening to fellow high schoolers talk about sex.

Closing her eyes once she found a good position, Chi-Chi pushed herself down while simultaneously pressing Goku into her. Little bit by little bit she slid down at a comfortable enough pace to allow everything time to grow accustomed to the new feeling. The wonderful, new feeling that flushed through her body, especially at the way Goku moaned her name with a gasp, as if he hadn't expected the sensation to be quite like that.

Quite this good.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she lowered herself down until he was fully sheathed inside her, and then she gasped for breath and looked over at her fiance's eyes. Eyes that were half shut, one closing completely, another opening to meet her gaze. He tried to smile, but she leaned down to kiss his neck, making him throw his head back with a long groan.

“Wow,” he whispered. “Chi, I – you feel so good.”

She hummed against his skin, “So do you.”

When she decided to start movement, everything increased tenfold. She wasn't really sure what to do exactly. Bounce? Move back and forth? But she played around, deciding that whatever made Goku whisper nonsensical phrases was a good thing. Or whatever made him grab her hips and try to replicate the motion. He did that a lot.

His hands guided her and she moved. _They_ moved. Together. Finding a pace, a pattern, that they could use to make the most of the moment. And all the while, she dropped down occasionally to stretch across his chest, to kiss his neck, to sigh into his mouth. Sweat began to form between them, no doubt from the exertion. Who would have thought sex could be such an exercise?

A wonderful, beautiful exercise. They were one. In-sync like never before. She couldn't get enough. Faster, and faster they went. She didn't want to stop, and yet something was building. Making her shake and shiver and tremble as she soon lost control. Breathing became a challenge all on its own. Muscles ached at the movement, but she was tough. Her legs were especially strong. All the _kata_ and training and workouts had certainly strengthened them.

So much she wanted to share with him, so much she _was_ sharing with him. She fell across Goku and let his arms do more of the work, let him move her as her climax came. As the feeling rushed through her entire body and she cried out, small shocks filling her with every jerk thereafter as he tried to reach his own climax. She always came first, but she supposed that was a good thing. He certainly had enough stamina to last long enough to build her up a second time.

Because the night continued even after her first orgasm. Continued til her legs ached fiercely and she was well spent. Chi-Chi did refuse to allow him to flip them over, despite his protests that he could handle it now. She was strong enough to take whatever pace he wanted to dish out, and she proved it. Even with those small breaks in between where she was playful with her kisses. Playful as she whispered meaningful phrases in his ear, phrases of her undying love.

Because now she was free to say she loved him however much she wanted to. Now she could tell him everything she had worried about saying before. Love was no longer a silly high school word.

It was everything.

And by the end of the night, he whispered it back to her many times over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta readers and critique partner Kairi and Maiika. You guys are both super helpful and I appreciate it very much.
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading this. If you want to offer more support, you can check out my patreon at patreon.com/Reda - extra drabbles, personal requested one shots, early access, and more! Most everything does eventually make its way into the public sphere, so don't worry about me holding anything big from you. Oh! And I'm starting to post original fiction tidbits there as well, if you are at all interested. Either way, supporting through patreon or reviews or kudos or however you decide to show your support - I appreciate you all :)


	22. Epilogue: We Lived

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [A few years into the future...]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes: And this is it. This is what I've been holding in for months, maybe a year now. Thanks to EVERYONE for putting up with my slow, sporadic update schedule. Thanks to everyone who reviewed – every single one meant a lot and kept me going in the dark times. Thanks to everyone who beta read for me during this process, Silver, Abby, Kairi, Maiika, y'all are all wonderful. We did it, guys. We made it to the end! Now a new adventure can begin!

 

Chi-Chi set the letter down on the counter and reached into a drawer to find a stamp and an envelope. She had so much she wanted to tell her Papa. So much she wanted to share of the past year. She couldn't wait to send this letter to him and see if he would decide to visit for a time. She knew Gohan would appreciate it. He liked it when his grandfather visited, especially when he brought books for the impressive little scholar.

Her Gohan was going to be brilliant one day, she could feel it. The child wasn't as interested in fighting as Goku, though he still took the boy with him for afternoon exercises at the school gym. A well-rounded individual and a child who knew how to defend himself were important. As much as Chi-Chi didn't want to see Gohan get involved in the fights that had gotten Goku hurt, she allowed him the little things. For now.

The gang activities in the town weren't cleared up yet, after all. She had to make sure Gohan grew up able to protect himself. Able to fight off anyone who charged him. Hopefully he wouldn't attract attention the way Goku had as a teen, but, well, she'd fight those battles when they came. Gohan seemed more attentive of scholarly pursuits anyway. She prayed it would stay that way.

Sliding the letter into an envelope and sticking the stamp in the corner, Chi-Chi quickly addressed it to her father accordingly and then checked the time. With a smile, she stepped out on the porch of their house. The wonderful new house her father had built – as she had expected – once her and Goku were married. Large enough for a young family. Her, Goku, and baby Gohan.

Goku's old house, his grandfather's house, still stood, as a reminder of the old man that had raised him. A nice, small dwelling next to the larger family home. She often caught Goku taking naps in the old house, as if he couldn't quite let it go. She didn't mind. Grandpa Gohan had been a kind old soul, and even though she'd only known the man for less than a year, she missed him, too.

It was nice to be able to name their firstborn son after Grandpa Gohan. Goku hadn't stopped smiling for days once she brought it up. She knew her son would grow up to give the name great honor, too. Maybe Gohan would actually get out of this town and go on to bigger and better things the way Goku had been planning. Not as a martial arts team champion, but as a wonderful scholar solving world problems. A way to help people. Yeah, he'd bring great honor to Goku's grandfather. She could feel it.

Raising a hand to her forehead to block out the sun, Chi-Chi stood on the porch in a traditional purple dress, more accurately known as a cheongsam, while she searched for her husband and son. Goku often spent the days farming the massive amount of land that had been left in his name once Grandpa Gohan passed away. Like she had hoped, her Papa had come down to teach him the basics and give them the machinery to make it all easier. Goku didn't really look _forward_ to farming, but he did it for her. He gave in and did a lot of things for her. He never did stop being sweet either, whether it was intentional or not.

With a smile, she finally caught sight of the two, the tractor coming over the nearby hill. Goku must have noticed the time as well. He might still be late if he didn't hurry, but that was almost a common occurrence with him these days. How had he ever managed to make it to school on time for all his years as a student? Or was Gohan just a big distraction for him, keeping him from the job he actually enjoyed more?

“Goku!” She called, cupping her hands around her mouth. “You're going to be late!”

She wasn't sure if he heard her, but it wasn't long before the tractor stopped in place and Goku hopped down, holding a young three-year-old in his arms. Goku's beige farmer outfit was no doubt soaked in sweat at this point; she could practically see the sheen reflecting from his wild hair. Gohan, on the other hand, was dressed in a pair of overalls and not much else. He didn't need to wear too much when helping his dad with the farming work. As they got closer, it appeared the boy had even dropped his shoes. She'd have to get them both dressed in more appropriate wear for the gym this afternoon. Mr. Piccolo would certainly scoff if they came in looking like a bunch of country bumpkins – even if they _were_ practically from the country considering how far out their house was from the local town.

When Goku finally walked up to the porch, Chi-Chi set both hands on her hips and eyed him. “You're definitely going to be late. You both need a bath before you change clothes.”

“Aw, but, Chi-Chi,” Goku said, rubbing the back of his head while keeping Gohan held in one arm, “I bet we'll just get all sweaty again when we're at the gym. Even Gohan is learning a few things now, you know.”

She huffed. “I still think three years old is a bit young to be learning martial arts.”

“Nah, he's doing great. Just basic things.”

“Well,” Chi-Chi hummed, giving in for today, “be that as it may, you both still need a bath. Make it quick and you won't be late. You have to walk all the way there, you know!”

Granted, he _could_ take a bike, but if he was going with Gohan then that would mean he'd have to convince her to let Gohan sit on the back. They'd gotten Goku a new bike, one that _allowed_ for people on the back, or at least a place that was more well suited to the idea of someone sitting behind him, but that required Gohan hanging on the entire time. He was still young. She wasn't ready for that yet. Not until they found some other way to strap him down or something.

Goku knew it too. That's why he grinned at her, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight. He'd tried convincing her several times already that Gohan was clingy enough to never let go, but she wouldn't have any of it. One wrong move, one brave moment from an unknowing three-year-old and… well… she wasn't going to deal with that worry. Not yet, at least.

“We won't be long, Chi,” Goku said, leaning in to kiss her cheek as he walked by her. “Gohan and I can take a quick bath if we need to, isn't that right, sport?”

“Mmhm,” Gohan mumbled, ever the quiet child. “Daddy takes fast baths.”

With a sigh, Chi-Chi smiled and relented, following them into the house. “Yeah, well, I'll see how fast you are. If you time it right, I'll have cookies for you for the journey.”

Goku stopped in place, turning back to grin at her, dark eyes lighting up significantly. He always liked the prospect of her food. Her snacks, especially.

Even Gohan liked her snacks. “Yay! Mommy's going to make cookies!”

Chi-Chi eyed her son. “As long as you get clean, Gohan. Be quick but not too quick, you hear me?”

Big eyes met her, nodding at her firm but playfully teasing tone. “Yes, Mommy.”

“Come on, Gohan,” Goku laughed, ruffling their son's hair a bit as he walked toward the bathroom. “Let's get this over with.”

Watching them walk out, Chi-Chi smiled. This was the family she had always dreamed of. Goku wasn't exactly the bread-winner she had expected, but he did his best. He slacked off a lot when it came to keeping up the farm, and sometimes he dragged his feet on his way to the school as an assistant coach. But he did try. And Gohan was such a dear. A sweet, perfect, smart little boy. And she was… well, she was a housewife who went into town every once in awhile selling some of her food at the stores. She had a unique blend of traditional and modern that was well liked among certain people in the city. So they managed.

And she loved it.

~!~

Almost an hour later, Goku walked down the streets of his hometown, holding his son in one arm, a bag of cookies in his free hand. The family heirloom, his grandfather's red pole, rested at his back. He didn't need it as much anymore, but it was still nice to have at the school gym when teaching _kata_ and such to the kids. Better yet, he could use it to spar the coach and teacher who had taken Master Roshi's spot when the old master retired a year or so ago. Though, of course, he couldn't distract from his actual purpose on the job, even if sparring was tons more fun than trying to teach semi-willing kids.

First, he had to get to the school gym. Quite the walk from his house. Thankfully, his leg didn't really give him problems anymore, so he could spend the morning working on the farm like Chi-Chi wanted and then spend the afternoon taking Gohan with him to watch his training classes. Gohan wasn't technically enrolled in anything, and he probably wouldn't ever be, but Chi-Chi had at least conceded and allowed the kid to watch his father at work, which allowed Gohan to pick things up. Three years old _was_ a little young, but Goku didn't like the thought of having a son who couldn't protect himself or others if the need arose. A little more time, a couple more years, and he'd convince Chi-Chi to let him really train the boy. For now, this was enough.

As such, Goku was dressed in his familiar Turtle School _gi_ , still proudly showing off the symbol of his martial arts master on the front, though the back had been changed to the symbol for his own name. And Gohan wore an outfit with the family name, a traditional outfit that worked for his age, though he'd probably be made fun of later on in life if he kept wearing clothes like that. Chi-Chi dressed him in whatever she wanted now, though, and Goku didn't really care too much, either. Usually there was a hat on Gohan's head, too, but today they'd left it back at the house. They'd been in such a rush after the bath that Goku had really only thought of grabbing the cookies on their way out the door. And, well, here they were.

“There's one left, Gohan,” Goku said, smiling at his son. “Do you want it?”

Gohan nodded his head quickly, holding a hand out. “Please?”

Goku chuckled. Gohan didn't really talk much. He answered quickly and efficiently, but he had great manners. Probably better manners than anything Goku had grown up with, honestly. Chi-Chi was a good mother. She knew what she was doing, and he followed her lead because he barely had a clue.

Lifting up the cookie bag, Goku dropped the last one into his son's waiting hands and watched the boy chomp down on it. Crumbs went everywhere, but Gohan ate it piece by piece, as if being careful to savor every little bit left. He knew there wasn't anymore after this, so he was making it last.

Goku chuckled when he heard Gohan humming. “You like Mom's cookies, huh?”

Again, Gohan nodded, humming his, “Mmhmm” as a response.

“Me too,” Goku said. “But then again, I like everything your mother makes for us. She's always been good at cooking.”

Reaching a street corner with a trash can, Goku tossed the plastic bag into the trash and then checked his wristwatch. His eyes widened immediately at the time. He really was about to be late. Piccolo got awful grumpy when he didn't show up in time for lessons. Piccolo wasn't exactly good with kids the way Goku was, and having to take care of all age groups was never fun for the foreigner. Goku was sure to hear the complaints today.

Glancing around, he tried to think of any shortcuts that could get him there faster. While he was already running later than he'd hoped, there wasn't much he could do about the route to the school. Though there might be an alleyway shortcut or two on the way, if he remembered his town setup correctly.

With a careful eye, Goku stopped in place and stared down at a dark passage between two taller buildings. It looked like it led through a lot of twists and turns, but if he did it right he should end up at the school in no time. Gang activity may still be a problem in certain areas of the city, but this area was usually pretty quiet. He should be fine.

“Hey, Gohan,” he said, glancing down at his son with a smile. “Keep hanging on tight, okay? Daddy's gonna take a shortcut.”

“Uhm,” Gohan mumbled, “okay.”

Small hands clung into the fabric of his orange _gi_ and Goku did his best to hold his smile. His son was easily frightened by the smallest things sometimes, so he wanted to do all that he could to keep Gohan calm. As Goku walked forward, the darkness encroached on them almost immediately, meeting the shadows between two large buildings that blocked out the sun. Shadows even stretched out along the ground around him, too, caused by balconies hanging outside of the apartment-like buildings on one side. It wasn't a straight path because it was a crowded area of town, but after a turn or two, Goku was sure they wouldn't be meeting any trouble today, and he was making much better time than if he'd gone all the way around.

Maybe he should go this route more oft-

Two human forms appeared further down his path close to a large dumpster. Goku's eyes narrowed as he sensed two men behind him as well, blocking him from changing course. So much for a shortcut. He really had thought this would work out, too.

As the shadows grew closer, Goku grit his teeth, noticing the red ribbon armbands. Gang activity reached all the way out here after all. He'd have to remember that. Actually, he had a feeling Krillin had tried to warn him not too long ago. Maybe he should have paid better attention to such critical information.

Goku sighed. Oh well. Too late now.

“All right, Gohan,” he whispered, leaning down. “I want you to stay near the wall, okay?”

“D-Daddy?” Gohan's lip quivered. “You said not to let go...”

Smiling sadly, Goku pulled his son's hand away, releasing the grip and setting him down near the wall. “Yeah, I know, Gohan, but now Daddy has to fight so -”

“Y-you're going to fight?”

He nodded, reaching for the pole at his back. “Yeah, don't worry. Daddy used to fight guys like this all the time.”

Big, bright eyes stared up at him. “Did you win?”

“All but once.”

A ghost pain shot through his leg at the memory, but he shook it off. His son was still shaking, but Goku had done what he could to try to ease the boy's fears. He couldn't lie or anything, but hopefully showing his confidence would be enough to keep Gohan from crying too much.

Four guys at once wasn't too much of a challenge, even now. His leg was practically like new, after all. Fighting four while protecting Gohan? That was a bit more difficult. Either way, Goku had no doubt he could handle this challenge. He was more worried about being late to work than anything else now.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Goku fell into a relaxed stance for now, gripping the pole in his hand but allowing his arms to hang loose. The chuckling of the gang members echoed slightly between the small space. They wouldn't be able to attack him easily, not all at once. So he'd most likely have only one or two to deal with at a time as the others watched. Most likely.

He identified them quickly so he could keep track. Though they all wore biker jackets of some sort – of course, it was always some kind of biker gang, wasn't it? - one had his hair dyed a bright red. Probably the leader by the way he flipped a coin in the air and grinned as he whispered to his buddy. His buddy with blond hair. That was an uncommon hair color. Probably dyed as well. Red hair, blonde hair… and behind him one guy wearing brass knuckles and…

His eyes nearly fell out of his head as he spun around completely to face her. “Launch?”

She wasn't wearing the red ribbon but she grinned as soon as he recognized her. “Miss me?”

“Uhm,” he fumbled for words. “N-not really.”

“You're lucky they took my gun,” Launch spat. “I'd've shot you already and taken the kid.”

“Ah hah -”

His stomach churned at the thought, a harsh burning sensation. His eyes narrowed as he met the blond haired chick that had been so close to Tien, the one who had been responsible for shooting him in that memorable gang fight years ago. The shot that had ruined his career. The grip around his pole grew tighter the longer he stared at her, as more and more memories shot to the surface.

“What're you doing,” he asked, “allying with another group?”

She shrugged. “Tien's in jail. Working with another gang ain't so bad. Besides, using you or that kid as a hostage to set Tien free sounds like a decent plan, don't you think?”

He rolled his eyes. Like that would ever work. The town wasn't near as corrupt as it had been years ago. Krillin was on the police force now. Or at least training. Goku forgot the exact details. But still, his friend had joined the police crew in an attempt to right the corruption, to force the city to jail up gang members who actually deserved it. If anything, it was a wonder Launch was still standing free on the streets, considering her record.

Before he could respond to her statement, the two guys behind him – red hair and blond hair – decided they would try for a sneak attack. Too bad Goku was on edge and acutely aware of his surroundings. These guys must not have been true martial artists. Or have any experience fighting a martial artist.

Without turning around, Goku knelt to the ground and slammed his pole upwards behind him, smacking the closest assailant in the face. Red hair fell across him and Goku slid to the side to let the guy fall completely, spinning his red stick wide in order to catch the blond-haired one off guard, successfully tripping him. With both men on the ground, Goku stood back up, twisting his pole around into a better stance. After having his leg weakened, he'd gotten much better with using the pole as a weapon, and now that his leg was able to handle even more weight and force and control, well, that just meant he was stronger than original projections had expected.

“You and your friends don't scare me, Launch,” Goku said. “They're not near as tough as Tien. I think you know that, too.”

Launch scowled. “They're not friends.”

“Oh?”

“Hired help,” she amended. “So hard to find these days.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“I still have friends from the old days, you know,” Launch muttered. “You remember Brad?”

“D-Daddy!”

Spinning around, Goku nearly dropped the staff right out of his hand. A familiar face from the Crane Gang was back. The same jerk who had been responsible for capturing Chi-Chi back when they'd set a trap for Goku. The kid, now adult, had Gohan this time. Holding the boy's arm and putting a gun to his head.

Goku immediately felt his world crash down around him as he screamed. “ _Gohan!_ ”

“Just surrender nice and easy,” Launch said softly behind him. “Drop the pole and don't fight back, and we won't touch the brat.”

Clenching his teeth, Goku growled as he practically threw his grandfather's staff on the ground; he didn't have a choice. “Let Gohan go. That's my son. Let him go right now.”

“I figured that was your son,” Launch said. “That's why we had Brad grab him.”

Fire burning in his vision, hands shaking, Goku almost spun around to smack all four of them. Take them all down and rush to Gohan's aid. Could he even be that fast? Was he angry enough to try anyway? No, not with the gun. He couldn't move faster than that. He was only human, after all. He'd been shot before; he couldn't dodge bullets, and he certainly couldn't get Gohan free when the gun was _so close_.

“I -”

He heard metal, stomping boots on the pavement behind him. Felt something hard crash into the back of his head. His vision swam for half a second…

...and then he blacked out.

~!~

“Goku?” The voice sounded familiar. “Goku are you okay, buddy?”

“D-Daddy?”

Something rough against his back, a brick wall perhaps? He groaned, opening his eyes to fuzzy vision, trying to sit up and feeling the headache and a pain in the back of his neck. Small hands gripped at his _gi_ sleeve, tugging lightly, and once his vision cleared, he smiled at seeing Gohan. His son was alive.

Relief flooded him instantly and then he grimaced, reaching up to rub at the back of his head. “Man, that smarts. What did that guy hit me with?”

“Don't know,” Krillin said – the familiar voice from earlier now standing in front of him, offering a water bottle. “One of them had on brass knuckles, though. That might have been it.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Goku winced. “Where did you come from?”

Krillin handed off the water bottle and then scratched at his cheek. His police uniform looked disheveled, shirt untucked, collar loose, badge crooked, and he wasn't even wearing his helmet. As Goku's vision cleared, he noticed someone else was around, too. A woman with blond hair that he hadn't seen before, dragging the tied up criminals, though her police uniform was much more pristine and in place. Krillin's superior perhaps?

“Lazuli and I were on the third floor balcony,” Krillin said, pointing up as his face flushed. “We were kind of on duty together when we heard the racket.”

Goku raised an eyebrow. “On duty? On the third floor balcony?”

“Doing very important cop stuff okay!”

“Hah, okay, okay,” Goku laughed, climbing to his feet with another groan as he let the subject drop. “Man, I'm probably ridiculously late now.”

“It's okay, Daddy,” Gohan mumbled, clinging to his pants leg. “Mr. Piccolo will understand. He'll probably want to fight you, too.”

At the thought, Goku felt his eyes light up. Fighting Piccolo was some of the most fun he'd had in years. Ever since he'd been shot, he'd thought his days of finding a rival were over. Especially once Vegeta and Bulma went to some college together, Vegeta no doubt being dragged to it by Bulma's insistence that he stick with her. Life had become kind of quiet and boring in this town for a while.

Then Piccolo had shown up to take Master Roshi's place when the old man retired. And Goku had found the rival he'd been missing. With his leg healed up, it had worked out perfectly, too. Granted, it was a little difficult to get Piccolo to fight whenever he wanted, but if he pushed the right buttons, he got his spar. And the kids who were there for lessons got a fun demonstration. And Gohan got to watch the two fight it out, hopefully picking things up from watching.

He was _so_ glad Chi-Chi didn't keep Gohan from _watching_ fights. That would have been hard to deal with if she'd gone that far. But, no, she said it was important for Gohan to learn a few things, even if three years old was too young to start himself. So watching a fight was perfectly all right.

Krillin sighed. “You're thinking about having a good fight, aren't you?”

Goku blinked, tilting his head. “Yeah. Mostly. Why?”

“You know what, Goku,” Krillin said with a wave of his hand. “Never change.”

With a grin, Goku bent down to pick up Gohan, holding him in his arms like he had earlier as if nothing was amiss. “I'll try not to, though having a kid does change you a little, you know.”

“A kid and a wife,” Krillin muttered, glancing off toward the blond haired police officer. “Maybe one day I'll understand. But, anyway, you should be safe to keep heading through the alleys here. The school isn't far. Good luck with your spar with Piccolo.”

Those words had never sounded so sweet. It felt like it'd been forever since Krillin had wished him luck on a match. Too long. They should catch up sometime instead of just running into each other in the city like this. Before Goku could open his mouth to respond, Gohan beat him to it.

“Daddy doesn't need luck,” Gohan said. “He's better than Mr. Piccolo. He always wins.”

Practically beaming to hear his son have such pride in him, Goku ruffled Gohan's hair and then turned to Krillin. “Thanks. I'll see ya around, okay?"

Krillin nodded, “Yeah, see ya around, buddy.”

Still grinning, Goku walked over to pick up his red pole, thankful to see it intact. Sliding it into the sheath at his back, he then turned and waved to Krillin, giving a polite nod to the strange police woman who worked with his friend, and then he made his way toward the school. This time without any interruptions.

Piccolo did give him an earful for being late, and he was sure Chi-Chi would do the same once he got home to share the news. But everyone was safe and everything worked out in the end. It may not have been his high school dream or ideal, but the life he led now sure was eventful enough to keep him entertained.

He wouldn't trade it for the world.


End file.
